X-Men: Standing Guard Season 2- Dark Secrets
by 66Dragon
Summary: After the devastating "Days of Future Past" the X-Men struggle to keep afloat. When Worthington Labs announces a "cure" to mutants, Magneto returns to his old ways. A shocking turn of alliances will shake the X-Men to their core, & a mysterious figure arrives with a mysterious purpose. The second exciting season is here! Rated M for sex, violence, & mature themes.
1. S2E01 In Need of an Angel

**WARNING: The ending scene to this episode contains a scene of such graphic nature, I'm not sure I should have published it. I do not recommend that anyone under the age of 18 read the scene, nor anyone who is disturbed by rape, assault, and child brutality. This warning should not be taken lightly.  
-**

**-  
AN: Here we are at the Season 2 Premiere! Thank you all so much for your support over the summer! I've been working on this new season for several months now and have already completed through Episode Six. There's so much changing that if I were to reveal even a fourth of it, I'd spoil so much. **

**Right off of the bat I can tell you this season is kicking the intensity to another level. Season 1 was more of a prelude and Season 2 is where things get serious. I can safely say this is the most boring episode this season. If you've been keeping an eye out on my Profile, my stories, or my Twitter, you will have seen a ton of stuff about Season 2 posted. If you haven't been keeping an eye out, I suggest you go look at those updates. Quite a lot has happened and will happen!**

**Now, a bit of sad news. The series **_**Bishop**_** focusing on the Young Avengers will not be taking off because of a lack of reviews. Because of this cancellation, and to get episodes to you earlier, **_**X-Men: Standing Guard**_** will be returning to its old bi-monthly schedule. Don't worry though, you won't be without content for long! Keep an eye out for specials that will explain **_**Bishop**_** and the **_**X-Men**_** universe! You may have also noticed the **_**X-Men**_** episodes have moved to Saturday. For a look at my new schedule, and to see when the Epilogue and other parts of the Episode come out, check my profile!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy the episode. Just a little reminder to please leave a review. Unlike YouTube, there is no like/dislike button on Fanfiction. The only way for me to know my hard work is being appreciated is for you to leave a review. It doesn't even have to be anything big! Just "good" or "bad" will suffice! I just need to know you're reading. Also, please follow me on Twitter (link to that is on my profile) to keep up with Profile Updates, episode releases, delays, and exclusive sneak peeks at upcoming episodes! If you don't want to be bothered with Twitter (which I would prefer you are), at least hit the Follow and/or Fav button on this story to keep up with Episodic releases.**

**TO ALL NEW READERS: Welcome to **_**X-Men: Standing Guard**_**! You can get a description about the series on my Profile. If you haven't already, go read Season 1. I publish this series in an abnormal way. On Saturdays I will release the episode itself, then on Sundays, I release the "Epilogue", which is similar to a post-credits scene. You all know how important post-credits scenes are.**

**Enjoy the episode and welcome back!  
-**

"In hindsight we accomplished what was necessary." Charles said. "With the rise of the Sentinel Army, drastic measures had to be taken. Enemies became allies. Allies became strangers. Help came from unlikely sources and many revealed their true potential in a battle against extinction. Unfortunately, battles can not be won without sacrifices. While the Sentinel Army was stopped, it was stopped at immeasurable personal cost. The loss of Nightcrawler, Squid, and Rogue's powers among many other lives has struck us hard. We have to rise above these pains, however, if we are to be ready for the next battle."

"We X-Men have always stood guard against the threats of this world, both mutant and human, but I fear that what is coming in the near future will distort our world beyond recognition, and the worse is yet to come."

Charles sighed and pressed the stop button. "End Entry Fourteen."  
-

_The forest was dark, leaves covering the ground. Rogue made entirely too much noise as she ran from her attacker. A second arrow flew past the girl and she gasped, stumbling slightly, and fell face first into a tree-stump. She scrambled up, but tripped again, falling on her back and looking at the archer in black and red approaching her. Rogue, without her signature white stripes, wasn't done yet. She kicked at the archer's legs, giving her enough time to stand up. The archer already had her bow trained back on Rogue. The red-head eyed the lethal, pointy tip of the arrow._

"_Yield," the provocative voice ordered._

"_Make me," Rogue growled._

_The archer smirked beneath her mask and adjusted the arrow to remind Rogue of its proximity._

_Rogue smiled and ducked low, the archer re-aiming and firing. Rogue jumped into the air, grabbed a tree-branch, and kicked at the archer. The hooded female caught her leg, however, and jerked her down, tossing her to the ground. Rogue kicked her bow out of her hand and attempted to flee again. The female archer fell on top of Rogue, pinning her legs down. Rogue swatted with her fists. The archer held those down, too._

"_You refuse to yield."_

"_That ain't how I do things where I'm from." Rogue growled, still struggling fruitlessly._

"_You never heed my advice." _

"_I don't need yo're stupid advice." Rogue growled again. "I'm fine on m' own!"_

"_And yet," the archer stood up, releasing Rogue. "You fail every time we battle."_

_Rogue narrowed her eyes. The girl laughed, tugging off her hood and mask, revealing a soft face with a pointy chin and deep brown eyes. Her hair, too, was brown and done in curls except for three black, straight stripes on either side of her head._

"_It ain't funny."_

"_I have discovered the name by which I am going to call you."_

_Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Well don't keep me in suspense."_

"_Introductions. I am McKenna Pryde, of the rank Kyoshi. I hereby officially take you as my apprentice and name you _ye haizi_."_

"_Yay what?" Rogue asked._

_McKenna laughed. "_Ye Haizi_, it means "stubborn one"."_

_Rogue narrowed her eyes again, staring at McKenna. Slowly she smiled._

"_So what do I call you?" she asked._

"_That is something you will learn in time, _ye haizi_." McKenna replied, turning and walking off. "Return with me to the main fortress and drink."_  
-

Rogue descended the stairs of the Xavier Institute. She had tugged on a bathrobe and tied it tightly around her waist, covering as much of her body as she could. Ever since her loss of powers, Rogue had been more conservative in her dressing. She couldn't afford to drain someone. Rogue's slippers made soft noises on the stairs. She sighed and glanced at the clock on the oven in the kitchen as she entered. Four in the morning. It was like a routine now. So many nightmares, so many sleepless nights.

Rogue walked over to the refrigerator and opened it, pulling out a pint of milk and pouring some in a cup. She grabbed a packet of instant cocoa and mixed it up in the drink, sipping the chocolate cold. Rogue turned to sit down at the table when she spotted a flickering light in the next room. It was obviously the television, but who would be up at this time of the night (or morning depending on your point of view)? Rogue walked in the room and glanced at the television. The channel kept switching. A nature documentary, a cop show, shopping network, the channels flicked by in a matter of seconds. The channel stopped on _In the Heat of the Night_.

"That is your favorite show." A voice came from the couch.

"How'd ya know I was up?" Rogue asked, walking around front and sitting next to Laura.

"I heard your slippers on the stairway." Laura replies, perfect grammar as usual. She doesn't move her eyes from the television. Rogue notes they, too, have dark spots under them.

"M' slippers gave me away?" Rogue asked.

"No, your opening the milk and chocolate did."

Rogue nods and takes a sip of her drink.

"What are you doin' up?"

"I…" Laura seems hesitant, something Rogue has only seen once before: Laura's first undercover mission, back when they worked with the Sentinel Project and her name was X-23.* "I, too, could not sleep."

"Dreams?" Rogue asked.

_Now_ Laura looks at her. "How did you know this fact?"

"I guessed." Rogue admitted. "What are the dreams about?"

Laura hesitated. "What of your dreams?" she retorted.

"So stalemate it is, then." Rogue replied, turning to the television and watching as Sherriff Gillespie and Mr. Tibbs fought it out.

Laura flips the channels again as the show goes to commercial break. The next channel is a news one and Rogue lays a hand on Laura's sleeve, indicating she stop. Laura turns up the volume so they can hear it.

"…_six month anniversary of the Days of Future Past event. Yes, it's hard to believe, but six months ago mutants traveled _through time_ to save President Robert Kelly from assassination by mutant terrorist Erik Lenscherr, aka Magneto."_

"Once a terrorist, always a terrorist." Rogue muttered.

"_While the initial aftershock of the event shattered mutant-human relations and battles between mutants and Sentinels broke out all over the nation, a peace treaty was ratified by President Kelly and Charles Xavier of the Xavier Institute. This treaty brought fighting on a major scale to a halt as well as many anti-mutant legislation in Congress. America's move has inspired many countries around the world, although Russia, Iran, and North Korea are still proceeding with their Sentinel Programs despite global outrage."_

All of the Sentinels had been destroyed during that fateful night. Not a single one remained. As far as S.H.I.E.L.D. could tell, Laura had been successful at wiping the AI and blueprints from Trask Industries. Rumor had gone around that President Kelly had visited Trask Industries just two days before Larry Trask's tragic car crash that killed his entire family, but that was never proved.

"_Startling news broke earlier this week that Worthington Labs was developing a "cure to mutants". While Worthington Labs founder and CEO Warren Worthington II declined to comment, sources close to the Labs state that Worthington is mere weeks away from developing the cure. The Senate Mutant-Affairs committee is expected to call Mr. Worthington in front of them later this week to discuss breaches in the mutant-human peace treaty. S.H.I.E.L.D. will not be in attendance."_

"They're still cleanin' up their ranks." Rogue informed Laura. "So many damn HYDRA agents…"

"It is startling how deeply S.H.I.E.L.D. was infiltrated." Laura replied. "I am surprised the World Committee did not disband them."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is too valuable." Rogue replied. "'sides, Alexander Pierce was HYDRA, so the Committee ain't got _rights_ to do any _disbandin'_."  
-

Amara crept down the stairs quietly, giggling, Kitty right behind her. The two girls crept across the living room to where Laura and Rogue were asleep, Laura's head resting gently on Rogue's shoulder. Amara giggled and moved Laura's hand into the open, spraying whipped cream onto it. The two girls giggled quietly as Laura shifted in her sleep. Kitty grinned and handed the feather duster to Amara. The two girls stood up and backed away behind the couch, standing behind it. Amara held the feather close to Laura's face and tickled it against her nose. Laura scrunched her nose and kept sleeping. Amara giggled and tickled Laura's nose again. Laura planted the whipped cream in her face. The moment it came in contact with her face, she sat straight up, looking around for an attacker. Kitty and Amara laughed outright and darted down the hall.

"Kitty! Amara!" Laura roared. She chased off after the girls who screamed hysterically.

All of the noise had awoken Rogue. The red-head checked her hands for whipped cream before rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She stood up and readjusted the bathrobe, brushing her red hair behind her shoulders, and walking into the kitchen.

Rogue had grown out her hair over the summer. It now hung down near her elbows, curling slightly at the ends. She had kept up the white streaks in her hair, using the special way in which McKenna had dyed it to dye it again. She still looked like the same old Rogue, except much more tired.

"Rogue!" Cassidy exclaimed. "Good morning!"

Rogue smiled and sat down, exhausted. Cassidy placed a plate of pancakes down in front of her and Rogue bit into them.

"Where are Kitty, Amara, and Laura? I could have sworn they were up."

"Oh… they're out getting' their mornin' exercise." Rogue replied deviously. Something shattered in the next room and Cassidy laughed.

Rogue smiled.

"Good morning, everyone." Erik greeted, walking into the kitchen. Ever since the Days of Future Past incident, Erik and the other mutants had returned with him to the Xavier Institute. Erik was currently working on setting up a mutant school in Genosha, a subsidiary of the Xavier Institute, but it was taking some time. Many of the older, and younger, students who had families and were mostly in their powers, had returned home for the first part of the school-year until the secondary academy opened. It was much easier to be a mutant now with the peace treaty in effect. Not everyone followed it, but most people had just been looking for a side to take.

"No muffins, Erik." Rogue stated through a mouth full of food. "I hate English food."

"You just have no taste." Erik replied, grabbing three muffins and putting them on his plate.

"Oh, I got taste," Rogue replied, pointing her fork at him. "Yo're the one who says everything funny and eats funny food…"

"Why thank you, Rogue, I speak funny too." Charles said, rolling into the room.

"Sorry, Prof." Rogue mumbled.

Charles smiled and gestured for Erik to grab him a muffin as well. "Rogue, the Principal at the local high-school wishes to speak with you…_again_."

"What'd Laura do this time?" Rogue asked.

"Her boyfriend claims she dislocated his shoulder when he tried to kiss her."

Laura walked in the room at this moment, breathing deeply with a big grin on her face.

"Is that true, X?" Rogue asked. She still referred to the clone in passing as "X".

"Is what true?"

"Did you dislocate ya boyfriend's shoulder when 'e tried t' kiss ya?"

"First, and foremost," Laura said, heaping scrambled eggs onto her plate. "He is _not_ my boyfriend. I do not have one. To answer your question, I did dislocate his shoulder. He was getting too…aggressive."

"Good girl." Rogue replied, taking a bite out of her pancakes.

"Rogue!" Charles exclaimed. "You can't condone that type of behavior!"

"Why the hell not?" Rogue demanded. "She's got t' learn t' stand up for herself!"

"What'd she do now?" Jubilee asked, walking into the kitchen with messy, spiky hair and a loose pair of pajamas on.

"Dislocated some guy's shoulder." Charles replied.

"Good girl." Jubilee grinned, rubbing Laura's hair. Laura laughed and leaned her head into it, growling like an animal. Jubilee burst out laughing.

"See?" Rogue asked, gesturing at Jubilee.

"Jubilee is not the best person to be taking advice from." Charles sighed. "Besides, you are her official guardian now, you have to act like one."

Rogue sighed and set her fork down, watching as Laura grabbed a glass of orange juice and sat down at the table.

"Laura, I do agree with Charles on this one."

"That is a surprise." Laura noted, taking a sip from her drink.

"Ya have t' be careful the way you react. Kissin' doesn't deserve a dislocated shoulder. Ask, try t' get away, then if he still ain't got the picture, kick 'is ass an' I'll be fine with it."

Laura sighed. "I still do not understand how all of the boys at school do not get the point that I am not interested in…"going out"."

"_Boobs_." Rogue responded. "Trumps _everything_ else."

Jubilee laughed and pointed her fork at Rogue with a mouth full of food. "She's got a point."

Rogue smiled.

"So, Jubes, where's Roberto?" Rogue asked. "All tuckered out from a night of…refreshing activity?"

"Don't be gross, Rogue." Cassidy said, sticking out her tongue. She was still too young to be appreciative of romance.

"I wish…" Jubilee muttered, casting a nasty glance at Rahne as the Scot entered the kitchen.

Rogue smirked, watching with interested eyes, leaning into her breakfast. She grabbed Laura's glass and took a deep drink out of it, setting it back down.

"Did you guys see the news report this morning?" Amara asked, changing the subject.

"Last night." Rogue corrected. "If any of y'all stayed up for the eleven news, you'd've seen it."

"I saw it." Erik started. "You know that President Kelly, who shouldn't even be in office, provided military funding to Worthington? No doubt trying to get that blasted cure of his off the ground."

"We have no proof, Erik." Charles said.

"Proof my ass. I ought to go up there and show them what they're trying to cure."

"Which would only encourage them." Charles pointed out.

"Please—" Rogue said. "I've got a headache, and we've already got enough to deal with. I have a feeling it's gonna be a long, chaotic next few months."  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard  
Season 2, Episode One  
"In Need of an Angel"  
**-

-  
_Local Highschool  
October 5, 11:09 EST_  
-

"Ms. Marie, you signed up as Laura's official guardian, correct?"

"That's right."

"Well perhaps you can shed insight into what's going on in her mind. Has she had a history of abuse? Perhaps by a father figure?"

In her head, Rogue thought of Wolverine, but she pushed it out. That man was _not_ Laura's father.

"No, her father was never in the picture." Rogue replied.

The school therapist rested her chin on her hands and looked at the Belle.

The two were in the school therapist's office. It was late Thursday morning and Laura was in class with Amara. Amara had stared high-school that year and Rogue had placed Laura's age at that of Amara's. She knew the two were close friends, so she figured they could bond with classes together; that and Amara could help Laura fit in without raising _too_ many eyebrows.

Rogue was dressed in a nice, albeit seductively tight, white tank-top and knee-long shorts, again seductively tight. She had pulled her red hair back into a ponytail, the white stripes running straight down the middle. She was slouched in her chair and obviously found the meeting boring and useless.

The therapist had short hair, almost to her skull, and was wearing dark blue eyeshadow and lipstick. She was wearing a loose dark blue top. She seemed very much in control and Rogue hated not being able to get a read off of people's emotions, something she found increasingly creepy about therapists, psychiatrists, and the whole damn lot.

Her desk was a simple one, neatly organized like the rest of her office. Her computer homescreen was one of her entire family, husband and two daughters, in a park. She had several medals and diplomas hanging on her wall, her bookshelves were stocked, a stack of papers on her desk showed she actually worked, and the soothing lighting in the room seemed to radiate an air of calm that only agitated Rogue, making her almost itch.

The therapist sighed after studying Rogue for some time and sat up. "Ms. Marie, tell me, do you find these meetings interesting or concerning?"

"I find Laura's trend of beatin' up anyone who's got a pair to ask 'er out concernin', yeah." Rogue replied. "I spoke to her about it. She promised to do better."

"You said that the second to last time she was here." The therapist pointed out.

"And we went a whole two weeks without an incident." Rogue pointed out.

"Here's the simple facts:" the therapist said, pulling out a file and placing it in front of Rogue. The Belle didn't need to open it. She knew what was inside. She'd read it multiple times. "Laura claims the boys she assaults are…sexually aggressive towards her."

"Can ya blame 'em?" Rogue asked.

The therapist sighed and continued. "Because of this fact, the school can not suspend her. However, several of the boy's mothers are threatening to file a lawsuit against the school. We have to show Laura is turning a new leaf. Quickly."

"Well since you don't think my ways are workin', whadya suggest we do?" Rogue asked, folding her arms over her chest.

The therapist sighed again, picking up her pen and twirling it. She was getting agitated. Rogue raised an eyebrow, watching the pen.

"I believe that Laura has…problems she needs to work through."

"Wait," Rogue interrupted, sitting up straight and holding up her hands. "Are you sayin' Laura needs a _therapist_?"

"I believe your attendance would help."

Rogue just stared at her for a moment before falling back into her chair and heaving out a sigh so powerful it blew papers off of the therapist's desk.

"This is a load of bullshi—"

"Language, Ms. Marie."

Rogue tilted her head. "Whatcha gonna do? _Ground meh_?"

The therapist twirled the pen faster.

"Any problems Laura has, she's workin' through 'em. She's a unique girl with unique talents and a past that…well, it ain't quite normal." Rogue admitted. "It's just gonna take some time."

"Time that may pass faster if she meets with a professional."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "I ain't paying some moron with a piece of paper hundreds, thousands of dollars for Laura to lay on a couch and "talk about her feelin's." Hell, if ya knew Laura, you'd know that's the exact opposite of the person she is."

"A problem she needs to work past in a safe and secure environment."

Rogue pinched the bridge of her nose. "What's it gonna take this time?"

"Ms. Marie, I'm going to lay two options before you. You leave here with one of them." The therapist said, pushing the tip of her pin into the desk. "Option One: Both you and Laura seek therapy. If money is a concern, the school will pay for a percentage of it."

"Money ain't an issue." Rogue had practically unlimited funds from S.H.I.E.L.D. Plus she had her own…special ways of getting cash.

"Well, we may put that theory to the test. If you decline therapy, the school will sue you for damage. Since Laura is only fourteen, you will be handed the lawsuit."

Rogue sat and thought. She _could_ jab the pen in the woman's neck, but that'd lead to murder charges and that was a headache…She weighed her options for a moment.

"Can I find my own therapist?" she asked.

The school therapist seemed _very_ relieved, setting the pen down on the desk. "Yes, as long as you run them by me first and I can assure that they're a licensed professional."

"Alright, I'll send ya the therapist's number by Wednesday." Rogue stood up.

"Ms. Marie—" the therapist said.

Rogue took a deep breath, rolled her eyes, and turned around. She smiled in a "go on" way.

"Perhaps you can talk to Laura for more than several minutes tonight after school. See if she's being bullied? Maybe she's having bad dreams?"

_An arrow impaled itself a foot from Rogue's head, the shaft vibrating in the tree. Rogue was cornered, no where to go._

Rogue flinched slightly in the present day, blinking to shake it off. She smiled and nodded.  
-

-  
_Xavier Institute  
October 5, 17:09 EST  
_-

A knock came on Laura's door.

"Come in!" Amara shouted.

Rogue opened the door and walked into the two-faced room. On one side was Laura's pristine, clean, and perfectly empty sleeping area. On the other side, Amara's bed was messy, her floor littered with junk, posters covered the wall, and a lava lamp (ironically) sat on her nightstand. Amara glanced up as Rogue entered.

"Oh, hi, Rogue!" she exclaimed.

"What are y'all doin'?" Rogue asked.

"Just homework." Amara replied. "Laura doesn't seem to grasp "why we need Algebra". Come to think of it, neither do I."

"Trust me, it's important." Rogue replied with a smile. "Amara, do you mind if I talk to Laura?"

The Nova Roman had dyed her hair over the summer. It was now blonde, long and straight. Her brown skin was starting to pale from Danger Room sessions. She'd been taking Laura to the city for "fashion sprees" and the clone as well as the fire-user had been increasingly "fashionable". Laura had attempted to get an orange highlight in her hair, but her body had rejected it.

"Yeah, no, sure. Go right ahead." Amara replied, turning back to her homework. She closed a few tabs on her laptop as Rogue approached.

"Alone, perhaps?" Rogue asked.

"Oh." Amara nodded. She locked her laptop. "Sure."

Amara left the room and Rogue pulled up her chair, turning it backwards and sitting in it. The Belle was wearing a green scoop-neck tee and skinny jeans. She had a bead necklace around her neck, her hair hanging loose behind her.

"What's she lookin' at?" Rogue asked.

"I promised her I would not give away that information." Laura replied, not removing her eyes from her homework.

"Fair 'nough." Rogue replied. She stared at the back of the clone's head for a minute before she started again. "Laura, the school said we either have therapy or they'll sue."

"Can you not simply bribe them again? Or whatever it is you did to cause these problems to go away before?"

"It ain't that simply. They've reached the breakin' point." Rogue replied. She looked at Laura. "'sides," she added, looking down. "Schoo's right. We need to talk."

"There is nothing to talk about." Laura replied, scribbling something on her paper.

"Laura," Rogue said gently. "Look at me."

Laura straightened up, placed down the pencil, and turned around to face Rogue.

"You still ain't sleepin'." Rogue sighed.

"It is merely a "phase"." Laura replied. "It will pass."

"Is it dreams?" Rogue asked.

Laura remained silent.

Rogue nodded once. "What're they about?"

Laura turned back around. "You first."

"What is yo'r problem?" Rogue demanded, grabbing the clone's arm with her gloved hand and twisting her back to face the Belle. "We haven't spoken since you started school! Is somethin' goin' on?"

"No." Laura replied.

"Laura…"

"Nothing is going on at school."

"Well then what the hell is it?" Rogue demanded.

Laura looked at her feet and sighed. "I do not need to talk, this is something I must take care of on my own." She looked up at Rogue. "I believe you of all people understand that?"

Rogue bit her lip and nodded. "But if anything, and I mean _anything_, bothers you or you want to talk, you drop by anytime."

Laura nodded.  
-

"_We're continuing coverage of the rumor that Worthington Labs is currently developing a cure to the mutant X-gene. To discuss this in full and see if it's even possible, we've brought in mutant scientist, as well as former President of the United States and current head of the Mutant-Human relations department Hank McCoy. Mr. McCoy, nice to have you on the show."_

"_Thank you,"_

"_Mr. McCoy, before we begin discussing ramifications and legal issues of this "cure", is it even possible to develop such a drug? How would that work? Or is this all a publicity stunt?"_

"_Well, mutants derive their powers from the X-gene. So far, it is impossible to "cure" genes that carry diseases, not that mutations are a disease, so no, it is not possible to "cure" mutants. If it was, Mr. Worthington could apply the same technique to cancer, AIDS, and theoretically every disease that has ever plagued man-kind."_

"_So it's all a publicity stunt?"_

"_I'm not going to say that," Hank smiled. "But it is not possible to cure mutants. Mutants don't need to be cured, however. They are just as "normal" as normal people. Trying to state that mutants are not normal is like stating that someone isn't normal because of their skin color or hair color."_

"_Thank you, Mr. McCoy."_

"This is a load of bullshit." Erik said, practically slamming his mug down on the table.

"At least Hank disproved Worthington's ruse about being able to "cure" mutants." Charles said.

Erik looked at Charles.

"What?"

"What if it is possible?" Erik asked. "What if Worthington has found a way…even theoretically? Charles, he could be arming Kelly's men with this—this _cure_ right now."

"Erik, not everyone is sinister***. If Worthington had this cure, if it even exists, he would have made an official announcement and not hidden it away."

"Unless he's working with Kelly."

"Oh!" Charles exclaimed.

"Come on, Charles! Kelly has provided _military funding_ to Worthington Labs, _after_ the peace treaty was signed! He and Worthington's family are old friends. It would only make sense they were in bed together."

Charles sighed. "Well then what? Should we arrange a meeting with Worthington?"

"No, he'll refuse us or try and spin some bullshit web. We need to act."

"Erik," Charles said. "Listen to me very carefully. Acting against Worthington and Kelly will not protect mutants. It will only endanger them. Kelly will cite you breaking the peace treaty, the Sentinels will return, and this time we won't be able to travel back and fix it. We were given a second chance to bring peace between our species, a chance that came at great sacrifice. Let us honor that sacrifice."

"Kelly already broke the treaty." Erik growled.

"You have no proof."

"I don't need proof."

"To stand before the world and announce mutant subjugation, yes, you need proof. People won't take you at your word, especially not anymore. They're not too happy that a man who killed dozens of people is free to roam." Charles set his cup on the table and looked at Erik. "Neither am I."

"Oh, come on, Charles!" Erik exclaimed. "I can't believe you're taking _their_ side! I'm your friend!"

"The man I knew and loved would never have killed innocent people."

"They were far from innocent." Erik growled lowly.

"Erik!"

The Master of Magnetism stood up and headed for the kitchen door.

"Erik! Your own daughter sacrificed herself to give us a second chance! God only knows what happened to her _children_, and Kurt…"

"I know very well our losses, Charles."

"There's something I haven't told you." Charles said. "I pulled it from Kitty's mind during one of her sessions."

Erik turned and folded his arms. "What?"

Charles ran his finger over the handle on his coffee mug. "After the initial Sentinel attack, Wanda and Lorna met in the tunnels beneath Genosha. Wanda gave her word that if the Sentinel threat was ever ended and mutants given another chance, that she would strive to create peace, equality, and tranquility between our two races. She swore to do it without the need of force. She thought she knew what it felt like to be hunted before, and thus felt justified in joining your genocidal crusade. She learned better the hard way. They _all_ did."

Erik looked at him in disgust. "I can't believe you would try and use my own _children_ against me! You have your dream, that is fine, Charles, but I can't believe you would have me believe that my Wanda, my sweet, ill-tempered Wanda, would have fallen for your unachievable dream."

"Erik, I'm not—"

"Save it, Charles." Erik continued for the kitchen door.

"Erik, if you walk out that front door right now," Charles took a deep, shaky breath. "You will _never_ come back inside."

Erik stared at him, then exited the door. Charles sighed, sat down, and threw Erik's glass against the wall, shattering it.  
-

-  
_Worthington Labs  
October 6, 09:09 EST  
_-

Worthington Labs was situated in downtown New York City. It was a large skyscraper, made of tan steel and large pieces of glass. The lobby was made of the same tan and red bricks. There was a large, rotating glass door at the entrance and metal detectors after that. The front desk was occupied by a clerk and two armed guards. Elevators stood behind them. There was a waiting room on either side, both full of people waiting to talk to Worthington about his cure. Many were nationals, many were domestic.

The man who walked through the front door was wearing a black trench-coat and hat pulled low over his wrinkled face. He bypassed the metal detectors without a problem. He approached the clerk's desk. Pens and paperclips began to vibrate. She glanced at them as they rattled more and more the closer Erik got.

"Mutant!" she whispered.

The two guards moved to step in front of Erik, but he used the metal weapons on their belts to toss them aside. He shoved the clerk's desk across the room, she stood up and squealed. Erik wrenched open the doors to the elevator and dropped the elevator itself to the basement, levitating himself up the elevator shaft.

The clerk picked up the phone and dialed four numbers.

"Get me S.H.I.E.L.D.! There's a mutant at Worthington Labs and he's heading towards the upper levels!"  
-

"Worthington! If this cure is real, I'm pulling my investments from the company!"

"Hell! I'll give you every cent I got!"

"McCoy said it is not even possible!" A Frenchman exclaimed. "How can you prove zis?"

Worthington held up his arms and gestured for everyone to be quiet.

"What leaves my mouth does not leave this room, is that understood?" Worthington asked, standing up. "If it does, I'll sue each and every one of you until I find out who spoke and then you'll wish you'd never been born. Are we clear?"

Everyone nodded.

"Dad…?" Warren asked from behind his father.

The younger Worthington, Warren Worthington III, was in his early twenties. He was standing in a corner of the boardroom, his short blonde hair askew and his blue eyes bored. He fiddled with his phone and the large overcoat on his back. He kept scratching between his shoulder blades. His father had insisted he attend this board meeting to "learn the ropes". Warren had obliged. Now he was concerned about what his father was about to say. There was dead silence in the board room. It was so quiet, everyone could hear the secretary and her friend chatting two rooms away, a sound almost silenced by the sheer volume of the water fountain.

"We are working on a cure."

Pandemonium broke out.

"Word wasn't supposed to get out yet! It was supposed to remain a secret until we were ready! We're weeks away from testing!"

"How did you acquire the funding?"

"President Kelly gave us military funding to research a non-lethal way to take down mutants, but I saw it as an opportunity to help the mutants! They don't realize that they're infected, much like the psychiatric patient who doesn't realize that they're mentally ill."

"That is a load of bullshit!" Warren exclaimed, stepping up next to his father. "Mutants aren't infected people! They're just people!"

"Warren! Hush!"

Arguments continued to rage in the boardroom until something smashed in the next room. The secretary screamed and her desk crashed through the wall. A man in a trench-coat entered the room behind, levitating off of the ground.

"A mutant!" Someone exclaimed.

Warren ran forward to attack the intruder, but Erik shoved him to the side with one hand, slamming his back against the wall. Warren cried out in pain.

"What the hell is this?" Worthington demanded, slamming his fist on the table.

Erik took off his hat and smiled at the (other) old man.

"Magneto!"

Erik smiled again. "Did you really think you could take down mutants without a fight, Mr. Worthington?"

"I don't know what you think, but there's no proof that we're working on a cure. Why don't you go home?" Worthington demanded.

Warren had stood back up, rubbing that spot between his back, still wincing.

"I don't need proof, Mr. Worthington." Erik said. "Six months ago, my race was almost wiped out by Sentinels. I will not let that happen again."

"Screw you!" One man shouted. "What right do you have, barging in here? What do you even want?"

"To send a message." Erik replied.

"Oh, you're sending a message alright!" The man shouted. "Mutants can't be trusted!"

"How would you feel if they were trying to turn you into them?" the Frenchman demanded. He turned to Magneto. "No offense."

"None taken." Erik smiled. "If only more thought like you, Mr….?"

"Mr. Falk." The Frenchman said. "Granted, I don't support your barging in here military-like."

"Well, Mr. Falk. I'll give you the opportunity to leave. I thank you for your support."

"Why would I leave?" Falk demanded.

A buzzing came from outside. A S.H.I.E.L.D. Hellier Jet descended in front of the Worthington Labs boardroom.

"Erik Lenscherr!" the PA system screamed. "Put your hands in the air or we will open fire!"

"Five seconds, Mr. Falk."

Falk decided he preferred to live, and darted from the room. Erik raised his hands in the air.

"Stand by, we're sending agents to arrest you. Our threat remains."

Magneto grinned and flicked his hand. The jet tilted and groaned towards the building. The board members backed up against the wall.

"Magneto! Stop!" Warren shouted.

The jet didn't open fire because at its current angle, its bullets would hit three stories down.

Erik beckoned with his wrist and the jet crashed into the building, spraying glass and steel at the board members. They darted for the door. Worthington tripped and looked up at the spinning blades of the jet, heading straight for him. Warren dropped his coat off of his shoulders, grabbed his father, and jumped out of the window, flexing his wings and flying off into the distance.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agents reached the floor a minute later to find Magneto gone.  
-

S.H.I.E.L.D. teams were already positioned to block any one from entering the street where Worthington Labs stood. S.H.I.E.L.D. vans blocking the entrances. Crowds were gathering at the end of the streets and at the windows of the shops they were locked in, craning to get a view of the Hellier Jet impaled in the glass and steel building.

Three people pushed through a side entrance and headed towards the figure in a trench-coat staring up at the jet.

"Director Fury," Charles greeted.

"Charles," Fury replied, not moving his eye from the Hellier Jet. "I thought you said you had your boy on a leash."

Charles sighed. "I'm afraid this time I could not convince Erik to stop."

"This is the sixth time in as many months that he's gone on a rampage like this. This time, he killed three people. President Kelly just reactivated the Sentinel Program."

"What?" Kitty demanded from behind Xavier. "We didn't do anything!"

"Erik did." Fury pointed out. "He is a member of the X-Men, the official peace-keepers between humanity and mutant-kind, which means that you broke the treaty."

"That's bullshit!" Lorna exclaimed. "He broke it first! He was providing _military funding_ to Worthington to research his cure!"

"That being true, we have no proof and can get none. Those conversations were never recorded." Fury said.

"Welcome back, Nixon." Lorna muttered.

"As part of the international treaty, the rest of the nations that signed it still have to respect mutant kind. As part of International Law, I can order Kelly to hand over anything about the Sentinels or this cure to S.H.I.E.L.D."

"The cure doesn't exist." Kitty said. "Hank said it's impossible."

"Three years ago, most of the people here would have said it was impossible for a boy to shoot lasers from his eyes, a man to read minds…" Fury glanced back at the jet. "Or one to move a plane with a flick of his wrist."

"What are you saying, Director Fury?" Charles asked, concerned, leaning forward in his chair.

"The cure exists." Fury said. "Or at least, it almost does."

This shocked the mutants.

"Well, take it away!" Lorna demanded.

"We can't. Once again, we don't have proof and we can't just barge in and steal it. Besides…" Fury glanced back up at the jet, currently being disassembled and pulled piece-by-piece out of the building. "It could be useful to let them finish it."

"What?"

"This is a huge breakthrough. Worthington's going to put a monopoly on the cure and it'll be years before anyone else develops it. We limit the origin of the cure, we limit its exposure. Once it's finished, we'll take the cure and make a…" Fury smiled. "A cure."

"Besides," he added, watching as the wing was carefully lowered to the ground. "Imagine the military uses. People like Erik could be de-powered."

Charles stared at Fury. "Director!"

"No, he does have a point." Lorna interrupted. "_Dear old dad_ seems to have anger management issues. De-powering him would be extremely beneficial to _both_ sides."

"You would crush him!" Charles exclaimed.

"Listen to your girl, Charles. She has a point."

Charles sighed and sat back.

"I'll call Kelly." Fury said. He started to walk off, phone in hand, but turned and smiled. "By the way, smart thinking putting your new student on Worthington."

"New student?" Charles asked.

"Yeah, the boy with the wings."

The three mutants glanced at each other.

"Oh," Fury said. "Well I assumed he was your student."

"Where is he?" Charles asked.

"Don't know. We're trying to find him, but we don't even have facial ID to run. We're working on it. Maybe you could give it a shot."

"Yes, let's find this boy before his image gets plastered all over the news." Charles agreed.

Fury laughed and walked off.

"It might be a little late for that, Professor." Kitty said, gesturing at the news van replaying a clip of Warren's rescue of his father.

"_This angelic figure saved Warren Worthington II from his boardroom after mutant terrorist Magneto, otherwise known as Erik Lenscherr, pulled a S.H.I.E.L.D. Hellier Jet into Worthington Labs this morning. No news on where this mutant has gone…"_  
-

-  
_Worthington Estate  
Outside New York City  
October 6, 9:14 EST  
_-

"…_nor where he has taken Mr. Worthington."_

Warren blew open the large French doors to his father's study and set him down gently, folding his wings up behind him. His father stumbled away and stared at his son in amazement.

"W-Warren?" he asked.

Warren spread his arms and wings wide, showing them off to his father.

"You-you're a mutant?"

"Yeah, I am." Warren replied angrily. "And I'm not too happy about you trying to _cure_ me."

"Warren, you're sick." His father tried to say calmly.

"Sick?" Warren laughed. "I'm not sick! I feel better than I ever have! Dad, _I can fly_! How many people have wanted to fly? And I actually get to!"

"We have airplanes for that." His father said dryly.

Warren rolled his eyes. "No, I mean really fly! Be able to feel the wind in your face, the clouds on your skin…" he sighed. "It's beautiful dad, and I wish you could experience it."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Worthington snapped. "Son, this mutation is bad for your health. Now when have I ever lied to you for a reason other than your own protection?"

Warren stared at him. "Do you _really_ want me to answer that?"

Worthington sighed. "Son, promise me you will stay here until the cure is done."

"No."

"You have to!"

"Like hell I do!"

"Son, listen to your father!"

"No!"

Both men were red in the face with anger right now. This was as close as they had come in some time to a true conversation. Neither wanted to do what the other said. They were both hell-bent on their own way.

"Listen, President Kelly has reactivated the Sentinel Project. You're going to be in danger out there."

"How the hell do you know that?" Warren demanded.

"Because it was our plan."

Warren stared at his father with a questioning rage. Suddenly, everything came together.

"You leaked news of the cure to agitate Magneto." Warren breathed. "You knew he would come after you, breaking the treaty and allowing Kelly to reactivate the Sentinels."

"And it worked." Worthington replied. "A small sacrifice for a much greater cause."

"A small sacrifice?" Warren demanded. "He pulled a _fucking jet_ into your office! Have you lost your _damn mind_? I'm not going to let you do this! You are not going to hurt us!"

"Us?" Worthington asked.

Warren swallowed hard, standing up straight.

"Who are you talking about, son?"

"That's none of your damn business!" Warren hissed.

"Who're you dating now? Aly, Alexa, something with an "A"…"

"You come near me or Alison." Warren growled. "and you'll wish I'd let you fall out of that window."

Worthington nodded slowly and pulled out his cellphone.

"What are you doing?" Warren demanded.

"Calling Nick Fury." His father returned.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.?!" Warren demanded.

"Yes, I'm going to inform them about you and your girlfriend. See if we can't get you detained for your own safety until the cure is done."

"You tell them about Alison's identity, and I'll go public." Warren warned. "It wouldn't look too good for the man who's developing a cure to mutants to have a mutant for a son, now would it?"

Worthington looked at Warren carefully, studying.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. Offices." The voice came over the line.

"Get me Director Fury. This is Warren Worthington II. I have news about the mutant who saved my life earlier and his gir—" Worthington glanced at Warren and sighed. "And his identity."

Warren scowled, shook his head, and flew out of the window back towards the city.

"I'm sorry, sir." The voice came back. "Director Fury is unavailable. Shall I take a message?"

"No," Worthington responded, watching his son fly off. "I'll wait."  
-

-  
_Xavier Institute  
October 6, 10:09 EST  
_-

Cerebro was humming loudly, its computer systems searching every face on the planet to find Warren Worthington. So far, the super-computer had had no luck. Wherever Worthington was, it wasn't somewhere with a camera. Charles sighed and put his head in his hands. "I suppose it's just a matter of time…"

"What's up?" Amara asked, walking down the long, narrow bridge of Cerebro, munching on a granola bar.

"We're trying to find Mr. Worthington."

"The dick wad who's trying to "cure" mutants?" Amara asked. "Yeah, lemme know when you find him. I'd like to show him a "cure" alright…"

"Amara, Erik already tried that tactic this morning. Worthington is still missing."

"Well did you try and find his son, Warren _numero_ three?"

"Yes, but he, too, is missing." Charles replied.

"Well what about Dazzler?"

"Who?" Charles asked.

"Mutant singer we tried to recruit back in March. Name's Alison Blair."

"Well why would we ask her where Warren is?" Storm asked.

"Uhh…'cause she's dating him? Duh!" Amara stated it like it was a well-known fact. Storm glanced at Charles cluelessly. Amara sighed. "Does anyone watch TMZ?"  
-

-  
_Gardendale Restaurant  
New York City  
October 6, 11:34 EST  
_-

It was lunchtime in downtown New York City. Even at such an upscale restaurant as this one, it was crowded. The rich, dark red carpet on the floor was illuminated by sunlight streaming in through the tall windows. Shadows of tables and people flickered across the floor. Each table was surrounded on three sides by a booth. The tables were made of dark cherry wood and the frames of the booths were made of the same wood; the plush cushions were covered in a soft, lighter red cloth with gold _fleur d' leurs _spotted along the fabric.

Alison Blair was in a booth near the door. She was dressed in loose apparel. She wore long pants despite the heat of the day, and a sleeveless white top, with a very low and sharp "V". She had some golden bracelets on her arms and large golden earrings hanging from each ear. She wore bright blue eye-shadow that heightened the blue in her eyes. Her long blonde hair hung down around her shoulders in curls. She was sitting patiently at her booth, waiting. She sighed.

A girl noticed her and walked over. The girl was probably in her early years of high-school. She had long, straight blonde hair and soft, brown eyes. She was wearing dark red skinny jeans and a black, magma-themed tee underneath a motorcycle jacket matching the color of her pants. Behind her was a bald man in a wheelchair. He was wearing dark pants, a green sweater, and a tan sports jacket. Alison thought the girl looked familiar, but couldn't place her.

The girl walked over to her booth.

"Hi!"

"Sorry," Alison smiled. "I'm not signing autographs."

This wasn't what the girl was expecting. This was curious.

"Oh, no," the girl replied. "I don't want an autograph…at least not right now. Do you not remember me?"

"No," Alison replied. Rule number one: never encourage fans.

"I came to you back in March to talk to you about the—" the girl looked around and leaned in, whispering. "The Xavier Institute."

Alison's eyes widened. _Now_ she recognized the girl!

"Oh! Yeah! What was your name again…um…Kitty?"

The girl looked slightly upset. "Amara." She smiled. "But it's not big deal. I mean, it's just a name, right?" she laughed nervously.

"So why are you here?" Alison asked. "Not trying to recruit me again? I'm simply not ready—"

"Oh, no no no." Amara replied. "We were actually hoping you could help us find your boyfriend…Warren?"

Alison blinked. "Oh, are you looking to recruit him, too? I can save you the time and tell you he isn't interested."

"No, we—"

"Excuse me," the bald man interrupted. "My name is Professor Charles Xavier—"

"Head of the Institute, I assume?"

"Yes, what did you mean by…recruit Warren?"

"Well that's why you're here, isn't it? Because he's…you know…"

Charles glanced at Amara.

"You didn't know." Alison whispered, leaning back. "Crap. Promise you won't tell him I told you."

Before either could inquire what she meant, Warren walked in the front door of the restaurant, slightly out of breath and his coat rustled. He spotted Alison and walked over.

"Hey," he gasped out, giving her a peck on the cheek. "Come on, babe, we gotta go."

"What?" Alison asked, standing up and placing his hands in hers. "What's going on, Warren?"

Warren glanced at Charles and Amara. "Who are they?"

"They're here for you." Alison replied.

"Are they S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Warren asked, alarmed.

"What? No!" Alison replied.

"Mr. Worthington, I think you will wish to take this conversation to a more…_private_ area."

Warren looked at them suspiciously, then at Alison, who gave him a reassuring squeeze of her hands, and nodded. "Alright…" he said warily.  
-

Warren leaned against the wall. "Alright, who are you?"

"Warren!" Alison chastised.

"I'm not in the mood for any of my father's surprises or speeches, so if that's why you're here…"

"No offense," Amara said. "But do we _look_ like people your father would hire? A teen and an old man in a wheelchair?"

"Eh,"

"We're from the Xavier Insitute, Mr. Worthington—" Charles started, but Warren cut him off.

"You call me Warren. Mr. Worthington is my father."

"Very well, Warren, as I said, my name is Professor Charles Xavier. I'm from the Xavier Institute. It's a school…for mutants."

Warren stood up and let his arms hang loose. "How did you know I'm a mutant?"

Charles glanced at Alison out of the corner of his eye. "I have a machine, Cerebro, that detects mutants around the world so that we can track them down and help them."

"Help?" Warren asked. "How?"

"By offering you a chance to come to the Institute." Charles replied. "It's a safe facility in Weschester, New York. It's completely secluded from the world and mutant-exclusive. For those who are of a younger age here, such as Ms. Aquilla," Amara waved. "It functions as a school. For people more of the age of you and your girlfriend, it acts as a home and hideaway, to keep you safe from the world."

"They offered me to go back in March, before we met." Alison said, hooking her arm into Warren's and looking at him. "I didn't go, but maybe you should consider?"

"All I ask, Warren, is a simple tour of our facilities if you're interested. If you don't want to join, that is fine. If you ever change your mind, our doors are always open."

Warren glanced at Alison, who smiled.

'_God,'_ Amara thought. _'She's laying on the charm _thick!_'_

Warren sighed. "Alright. Just a tour. And if you _are _S.H.I.E.L.D…."

"Don't worry, Warren, you can trust us." Charles replied.  
-

-  
_Xavier Institute  
October 7, 10:40 EST  
_-

"These are our lower levels," Xavier said, rolling down the clean, metal hallways. Blue lights reflected off of the baby-blue seamless steel. Xavier, accompanied by Amara, was leading both Alison and Warren on a tour of the Xavier Institutes. The tour of the outside and inside had been rather brief. Most of the Xavier Institute's property (some dozen acres or so), was open fields with benches, trees, a pond here and there, and other aesthetic items. The backyard contained the basketball court, tennis court, swimming pool, and graveyard. Xavier had failed to show the last area off during his tour.

The inside of the Institute, a four-story brick building, was very plain. The top three stories were rooms, mostly vacant now (many of the mutants who had sided with Magneto over a year ago had felt too ashamed to return to the Institute), and Xavier wasn't about to go invade the privacy of his students. The ground floor of the Institute was like any home: living room, dining room (which was unused), kitchen, a few bedrooms that had been converted to offices for Xavier and the other teachers, and several other miscellaneous rooms.

The lower levels were where the real action took place.

"This is the Danger Room," Charles said, wheeling into the observatory. Wolverine nodded at his arrival and continued shouting orders through the intercom. Several of the younger students, Rahne, Jubilee, Laura, and Pixie were in the Danger Room performing an exercise. Warren looked impressed with the technology and set-up.

"What happens if someone gets hurt?" Alison asked, concerned.

Charles smiled. "The most anyone ever gets hurt in the Danger Room is a slight stun, nothing more than a taser shock, but the infirmary is right down the hall. Come, follow me."

"Chuck," Logan said gruffly. "If you see Drake in there admiring his wimpy physique, trying to see if he's got abs, you tell him I'm lookin' for 'im. This is the third session he's missed."

"Of course, Logan." Charles replied.

The four left the Danger room and wheeled down the hall a few yards to a glass wall and doors. Inside was the infirmary. Top of the line equipment and machines cluttered the floor, cabinets of medicine and tools on the wall. Bobby was inside, a finger on his chest, examining himself in the mirror. Charles sighed and pushed open the door.

"Bobby,"

The blonde jumped and almost turned around, but quickly adjusted himself, trying desperately to keep the front of his torso hidden from the intruders. Amara attempted to glance at his chest, just to annoy him, but he managed to keep it obscured from her vision while he slid his shirt back on. He turned and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"Yes, Professor?" He asked breathlessly.

"Logan's looking for you." Charles said.

"Yeah, he's gonna give you hell!" Amara exclaimed.

Bobby glared at her and slid past, darting for the Danger Room.

"Recent break-up?" Alison asked, a look of amusement on her face.

"Too bad it wasn't sooner." Amara scowled.

Alison laughed, freely and joyfully, something she hadn't done in a long time. Amara didn't seem to be taking much pleasure from it, but Alison didn't seem to care much at the moment.

"As you can see, we have top of the line equipment and multiple students who are very well exercised in medicine. You are in good hands here." Charles said. He took them through several machines. Amara stopped at the CAT scan. Bobby had wiped the results, but it was still on. What was he up to?

The four exited the infirmary. Charles showcased the Dark Room where the communications equipment was stashed, the hangar where the Blackbird and X-Chopper as well as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Hellier Jet sat silently, powerfully.

"And finally, the pride and joy of the Institute—" Charles leaned down and allowed the door to scan his eye.

"_Welcome Professor X_."

"Professor X?" Amara asked. "Rahne and Roberto have been messing around with the system again…"

"No worry," Charles replied with a humorous smile as the door opened. "I rather enjoy the nickname."

The four mutants walked inside. Warren and Alison were in awe. They were standing inside a large, silver sphere. It was massive, probably fifty yards across. A small bridge, which they were currently standing on, led to the dead center of the sphere.

"Welcome to Cerebro." Charles said.

"Amazing." Warren breathed out.

"What's it used for?" Alison asked, still staring around at the metal walls.

"Cerebro can detect new mutant outbreaks, or "breakouts" as we call them, anywhere in the world." He turned. "That's how we found the two of you."

"But my mutation developed years ago!" Warren said. "Why didn't your Cerebro detect me then?"

"Cerebro wasn't completed until a year ago." Charles said. "Besides, it prioritizes mutants by the level of danger they are in, among other factors, so you weren't detected until yesterday."

Warren nodded.

"So you need all of this to find mutants?" Alison asked.

"Oh, it does much more than that, my dear." Charles said. "Cerebro extends my powers around the world and allows me to read minds, depending on how strong the psychic barriers are, freeze bodies, and locate almost anyone on the planet."

"It sounds like there's variables in there. A lot of them." Warren said.

"You can hide from it," Charles admitted. "But it takes some doing."

He smiled and turned to the couple. "So? Do you need time to think it over?"

Warren looked at Alison. "I'm willing to join—part-time only though."

"Part-time?" Amara asked.

"If you need me, I can be there to help, but because of my last name—I need to keep out of the limelight."

Charles nodded. "I can arrange for a body-suit to be made for you, and a mask if you want."

Warren nodded. He turned to his girlfriend. "What about you, Alison?"

Alison frowned. "Sorry, Professor," she said. "I'm afraid I have to decline your offer again. If I join the X-Men, my mutation will go public and I'm just not ready for that."

Charles nodded. "Perfectly fine, my dear. As always, our doors are open."  
-

-  
_Worthington Estate  
October 7, 11:33 EST  
_-

Warren tucked his wings in and landed on the balcony of his father's office. He grabbed a trench-coat from the closet and tossed it over his shoulders, keeping his wings hidden. His father's office was empty, a strange sight for this time of day. He glanced around and picked up his father's schedule book. Nothing interesting. The volumes lining the bookshelves behind his father's cherry wood desk were real, first editions that cost millions. They were covered in dust. As a young boy, Warren had attempted to read them, but his father dissuaded him citing that Warren was too young to understand them.

His father's computer was locked, no getting anything off of that. A dozen files and papers were scattered semi-messily around his desk. Warren shuffled through them, but didn't see anything important. The drawers were locked as was the filing cabinet. Warren sighed and walked out of his father's office, heading down the hall to the terrace. A maid passed him quickly, almost upset. Warren frowned. His father had a bad temper with the staff. Some claimed Worthington was a "Southern plantation owner, and the staff were his—"

Warren heard voices coming off of the terrace and headed towards the doors, stopping short of passing through them. The night was dark and cool. There were soft lights on the terrace, shining on the light grey stone floor. A steel and glass table was arranged in the middle of the outside area and two men were sitting there. The French doors were open and Warren peeked through the thin curtains over them, blowing gently in the wind.

President Kelly and Warren Worthington II were sitting on the terrace. As Warren listened, he became enraged. His father was acting as if nothing had changed, as if he couldn't be prouder to be developing this cure. Warren had half a mind to tear off his trench-coat and tell his father _exactly_ what he thought of him…and the President too!

The only thing that prevented Warren from making his grand debut as a mutant was the maid rushing past him again with a tray of snacks. Warren scowled, turned the collar on his jacket up, and headed back towards his room.  
-

-  
_Island of Genosha  
October 7, 20:09 EST  
_-

The windows on another research lab exploded outward. Pyro cackled next to Magneto. He turned to the scientists who had escaped the building.

"Look at 'em! Running around like 'ickens w't their heads cut 'ff!"

Pyro threw flames at the men and cackled some more as they burned alive.

"Fried chicken!" he yelled, laughing some more.

Police vehicles screeched around the corner and slid to a stop, forming a defensive wall. The police officers jumped out of the vans and cars, lining up behind them and opening fire on the mutants. Magneto would have none of his brethren fall, however, and raised a magnetic shield to stop the bullets.

"Foolish humans, hiding behind vehicles made of metal to battle the Master of Magnetism?" Magneto turned the bullets back and released them, letting them hit the officers, killing or maiming them. One bullet hit a gas tank on the vans and they exploded in a chain of detonations that left searing heat to be felt by all.

"The island will be ours by morning, brothers and sisters!" Magneto exclaimed, raising his hand. The mutants yelled and charged forward, killing all who got in their way.  
-

-  
_Xavier Institute  
October 7, 21:09 EST  
_-

Rogue had turned the lights out in her room. Nine o'clock and already she was getting ready for bed. She had taken a bath and watched an episode of TV, but she was still depressed. These spells came over her, frequently, and for undeterminable amounts of time. She was depressed at her loss of powers. She had sent Gambit away, told him that she couldn't be with him and they shouldn't try. Gambit had protested, naturally, but Rogue had sent him away. The summer had been miserable. Instead of teasing guys and having fun with the girls, Rogue had been forced to hide away inside. Her red-hair made her naturally pale, but now she felt she looked like a vampire.

School had started and Rogue had to be careful to wear gloves and full body clothes to the school to prevent knocking out one of the children or teachers. The mutants who attended school had kept their abilities and lives as X-Men a secret, blending in seamlessly. Rogue didn't want to ruin that.

Her ability to absorb memories and abilities had become a pain in the ass. Every time she brushed up against someone, she got the memories they were thinking of that moment, and others in spare. Charles was using his mental abilities to keep her from losing herself, but the memories kept popping back up and it was getting harder and harder to remember who she was, and what memories belonged to her.

Rogue reached under her desk and pulled out a bottle of brown liquid. She popped the top and reached for a shot-glass, but decided against it and touched the bottle to her lips.

"Well I was going to ask you to share…" a voice came.

Rogue glanced over at the window. McKenna was standing there, and not in her assassin's outfit. The brunette was wearing tight jeans, an orange tank-top, and a black leather jacket. The various tattoos of the Hand decorated her arms, the red, black, and purple ink flashing in the varying light.

"Here," Rogue replied, pulling the shot-glass back out and pouring a _very_ generous amount of liquid into it.

"I'm in New York on a mission. Ian Quinn's borrowed too much money, I'm here to _persuade him_ to give it back in full with interest."

Rogue stared at her. "What the hell are you? A fuckin' cop? Sit that fine ass down an' drink. I don't give a _damn_ if yo're on duty."

McKenna smirked and picked up the glass, swallowing it all in one gulp. Rogue raised an eyebrow and drank some more out of the bottle.

"I hope this is just pleasure drinking." McKenna said.

"Oh don't you start yo'r damn psychology bullshit now." Rogue warned.

"Rogue…" McKenna warned.

"Nope, la la la la la, ain't listenin'!" Rogue took another swig from the jar. McKenna snatched it from her hand. Rogue stood up and knocked her chair to the ground.

"Give it!"

"Not until you listen." McKenna said firmly.

Rogue scrunched up her face in a sour expression and sighed.

"You need to clear your mind." McKenna said. "I understand your loss of powers…troubles you, but with _it_ coming up, you can not be distracted. A distracted mind is useless to the mission."

Rogue sighed. "Clear m' mind?" she asked. "I can't figure out what _is_ m' mind and what's in everyone else's!"

McKenna set the bottle down behind her and Rogue eyed it warily. McKenna extended her hands and placed them on Rogue's knees. "Do you remember the first time I taught you to clear your mind?" she asked.  
-_  
__**Six Years Ago**_  
-

Rogue practically slammed the door in McKenna's face. The brunette caught it firmly with her palm and shoved it open, following the fuming red-head into the hotel room.

"You were supposed to take the shot!" McKenna exclaimed.

"What? With his kid standin' right there next to him?" Rogue demanded. "Ah hell no!"

"You can not be distracted by your feelings or morals during a mission. You must know when to strike and you can not hesitate. Often the moment for action is mere milliseconds in length.

"I know that!"

"Then why did you not take the shot?" McKenna demanded.

Rogue had tossed off her scarf and mask onto the plush bed, pushing her long red hair back into a ponytail. She whirled when McKenna asked the last question, her red hair glinting in the soft light and flashing against the golden wallpaper of the room.

"I didn't take the shot 'cause his son, who wasn't more'n _three years old_ was standin' right there!"

"Had your mind been clear, you would have never seen the child." McKenna scolded.

"But I did!" Rogue replied. She sat down hard on the white bed sheets. "I can kill people, McKenna, you know that pretty damn well."

"Yes,"

"But I don't kill fathers unless I got a damn good reason."

"Well then here's a reason." McKenna replied loudly. Rogue was glad the room was soundproof. "Ian Quinn is a human trafficker, arms dealer, and generally un-human."

Rogue glared at her.

"Now," McKenna added. "Thanks to you, he's heading to an underground auction right now. One we can't stop because we don't know where it is! Had we killed him, they would have delayed the auction, found a new leader, one we could influence, and then we could take down the entire ring. Thanks to you, hundreds of girls are going to die!"

Rogue bit her lip so hard she cut herself. Blood trickled over her lower lip and down to her chin. She wiped it up quickly, licking the blood off of her finger. She took a deep breath and McKenna saw the damage she had done in the red-head's eyes.

McKenna sat on the bed next to Rogue and placed a hand on her knee. Rogue flinched slightly, something the Belle did not normally did. McKenna wondered how bad she had hurt her apprentice.

"I understand why you chose not to take the shot." McKenna said quietly. "There was a time when I did the exact same time. My teacher was not as gentle to me as I am to you."

"Am I supposed to be grateful?" Rogue asked.

"That's not what I'm saying." McKenna replied, ignoring the tone Rogue had used. "What I'm saying is that I know how you feel."

Rogue rolled her eyes.

McKenna sighed and reached into her belt. Rogue pulled away, worried the brunette might cut her with some knife, but McKenna pulled out a picture instead. It was her, except younger. There was a white house in the background and a green yard beneath their feet. The sky was blue. There was a second girl in the picture, much younger. She had the same face as her sister, curly brown hair and a Star of David hanging from her neck.

"This is my sister, Kitty." McKenna smiled sadly. "She was young and innocent, sweet and beautiful, she was my world and I would have done anything for her." McKenna hesitated. "I did _everything_ for her."

Rogue looked at McKenna curiously.

"I was not the woman supposed to be sitting beside you today. It was supposed to be Kitty." McKenna said quietly, a whisper in fact. It was as if the two were on a crowded train and McKenna didn't want anyone to hear what they were saying. "The Hand originally wanted Kitty to be their _Shǎnyào zhī xīng_. She doesn't know it yet, but Kitty is a mutant."

Rogue knew all too well what mutants were. Fury had told her before sending her off to this hell-hole. She had to act her part, though.

"Mutant?"

"People like us, with special abilities." McKenna replied. "We are called mutants."

Rogue nodded and made an "ah" sound.

"So yo'r sister is a mutant?" Rogue asked after a moment of silence.

"Not yet," McKenna replied. "When she becomes a mutant, she will be the most powerful of them all. She will hold the key to saving a world from a disaster.* Her abilities will go beyond most other mutants. The Hand wanted to manipulate her, turn her into me, turn her into a killer."

"So you volunteered." Rogue replied, connecting the dots in her mind.

McKenna nodded, a tear sliding down her cheek and dripping onto her outfit. "She was my baby sister. I had to protect her."

Rogue nodded slowly. "How'd ya know they were comin' for her?" she asked.

McKenna took a shaky breath and put the picture back up. "That is a story for another time." She replied. "Now, I am going to teach you to cleanse your mind so you can do what needs to be done. Close your eyes."

Rogue crossed her legs on the bed and closed her eyes. McKenna put a hand on each of her knees.

"Focus on your happiest memory." She whispered.  
-

Rogue opened her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Clear?" McKenna asked.

"Like mud." Rogue replied sourly. "I've run outta good memories."

"Let me try." McKenna whispered, reaching with her bare hands for Rogue's temples. Rogue grabbed her hands.

"Wait!" Rogue exclaimed. "I'll drain ya!"

"Trust me, _ye haizi_." McKenna replied. Rogue slowly released her hands and McKenna reached up, touching Rogue's head gently with her fingers. Rogue could feel the drain beginning, but before McKenna's power flooded her veins, the brunette let go. The memory flashed through Rogue's mind.

"Nice trick." Rogue commented. "Last time all you could do was take the memories."

"I have been practicing." McKenna smiled.

Rogue nodded. "Thank you, McKenna."

McKenna smiled. "As long as you keep an eye on my sister and keep her out of harm's way and away form the Hand, I am still in your debt, my friend."

Laura pushed open the door to Rogue's room and McKenna glanced up. "Ah! Hello again _Xiǎo māo_!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry," Laura said. "I was just coming to check on Rogue. I was unaware you were here."

"It is fine." McKenna replied, standing up. "I was leaving."

Rogue smiled at her one more time and McKenna darted out the window. Rogue watched her go, then turned to Laura. "I'm fine, X." she said, standing up and pouring a shot-glass full of liquid before setting the bottle back under her nightstand. Laura smiled and nodded, closing the door behind her.

Laura descended the stairs and turned into the living room. Jubilee was standing at the window and the television was on. Laura turned up the news report.

"…_increasing vigilante attacks in New York City by both the purple female archer known as Knightress and the wall-crawling red-and-blue hero known as Spiderman have the NYPD worried. However, police captain George Stacy, who works in an area of the city with frequent vigilante attacks says that the vigilante attacks have helped the NYPD catch several criminals they were unaware of and dozens they have been searching for for quite a while. He adds that vigilantes are not the law and the police need to be left to do their jobs…"_

"Hypocrites at their finest." Laura muttered. "Am I correct, Jubilee?"

Jubilee continued to stare out of the window.

"Jubes?" Laura asked, walking up to the window next to her and spotting the source of her worry immediately. Rahne and Roberto were on a bench about one hundred yards from the Institute. As the two girls watched, Roberto wrapped his arm around Rahne and she leaned into his embrace. Jubilee sighed.

"What am I supposed to do about that?" she demanded. "I don't want to ignore it, let him get away with whatever, but what does that leave me with? I can't confront him!" She turned to Laura. "What's your opinion?"

Laura did not remove her eyes from the couple on the bench. She ached inside, but from what she didn't know.

"I am not the best person to be asking for relationship advice." Laura replied.

"I'm not." Jubilee corrected. She paused. "With you hanging out with Rogue, maybe you should say "ain't"…then again that might be weird…"

"I still do not understand why you are teaching me to slur my words. My grammar is perfect. It does not need to be corrected."

"You gotta blend in, Laura!" Jubilee exclaimed. "Saying "do not" and "I am" makes you stick out!"

Laura laughed.

"What?" Jubilee demanded.

"You do a _terrible_ impersonation of me." Laura giggled.

Jubilee scowled and punched her in the arm playfully. She glanced out the window once more and sighed, turning back to Laura. "All right, fine. No grammar? You're getting a lesson in punk rock tonight."

Laura made a curious face. "Punk rock? I was unaware there were sub-categories."

Jubilee snickered. "Come on," she gestured.  
-

It was turning evening. The sky was fading from blue to a dark purple. The few clouds on the horizon glowed faintly in the little remaining light of the sun, only the tip of which could be seen over the horizon. The grass was dying slowly as winter approached, just as the heart of the woman standing on it died every time she visited the gravesite. She took a shaky breath and knelt down, placing the purple lilacs on her fiance's grave. She stood up and placed one hand on her swollen belly, rubbing it gently as she sobbed quietly in the stillness and darkness of the night. Someone walked up behind her and Amanda Sefton turned to see Kitty Pryde standing behind her. The brunette had graduated high-school that spring and had decided to attend college originally, but was now doubting her decision due to the recent change of events. Kitty was wearing skinny jeans and a light blue shirt with a blue-jean motorcycle jacket over it. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets to keep them warm, but her silver-link bracelet with the Star of David hanging from it was still visible. Kitty smiled sadly at Amanda and wrapped an arm around the dark-eyed girl's shoulders, having to stand on her tip-toes to do so.

"Thanks for coming, Kitty." Amanda whispered quietly, dabbing at her face with a tissue.

"I'm always here for you." Kitty replied softly, tugging Amanda closer.

The two girls stood in silence, staring at the grave-site. Kurt's grave was simple, just a polished stone slab bearing his name, birth and death dates, and a phrase: "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…"

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Kitty." Amanda whispered. "If it weren't for you these past six months, I'm not sure I would have made it."

"Kurt would want us to be strong," Kitty whispered, staring at the gravestone fondly, sadly.

Amanda smiled. "There was something I wanted to ask you. I was going to ask tomorrow, but since you're here tonight, I'll ask anyway."

"Hmm?" Kitty asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I was wondering if you'd be Jimaine's godmother."

Kitty looked at her in surprise, her blue eyes catching the lights of the Xavier Institute as they automatically flicked on at the first sign of night.

"Really?" she asked.

"You've always been there for Kurt and me, even before—" Amanda glanced at Kurt's grave. "Before he died. I just figured that if anything happened to me—"

"Which nothing will…" Kitty said firmly.

"I was hoping you would look after Jimaine for me."

"Of course." Kitty smiled.

"Jimaine is Kurt's final gift to me." Amanda said fondly, rubbing her stomach and looking at Kurt's grave.  
-

_She ran, ran as fast as she could. The men were mere feet behind her. The dark-haired girl rounded another corner, the same greenish light illuminating everything._

"_Stop following me!" she yelled. "Stop! Stop! Stop! STOP!"_

_She yelled and collapsed to her knees, clutching her head. The men rounded the corner and looked at her, pulling out a baton. They were dressed in black rubber suits, the green HYDRA logo on each of their shoulders. Their masks were distorted by some green fog, but they reminded the girl of skulls. They approached and she screamed, covering her head. "Stop! Stop it!"_

_A dark, demonic voice came from nowhere, and yet everywhere._

"_Make them stop, X-23. You make them stop. You are the only one who can make them stop!"_

"_Stop! Please! Stop!" the young girl pleaded, breaking down into tears. She could only have been eight._

"_Weakness will not be tolerated, X-23. They won't stop until you make them stop." Came the demonic voice again._

_The first man hit her with his baton and the clone cried out, falling onto her back and exposing her mid-section, covered only by a thin night-gown, to the brutality of her beaters. They hit her with their batons and she took it, crying, screaming into the whiteness of the walls and the greenness of the light and fog. They beat her for several minutes until they finally let up. The clone opened her eyes carefully. She could feel the bruises healing already, but something told her they weren't done. They were never done. They would never be done._

_One of the soldiers grabbed her thin night-gown and ripped it open, exposing her bare body. She screamed as his cold rubber gloves grasped her still young breasts. One hand went between her legs and she screamed, begging him to stop. He laughed. They all laughed. He jabbed into her and she screamed, her claws ejecting from her hands. She sliced the throat out of his suit with such force that body parts came out with her claws. A huge blood splatter stained the white walls and the soldier's head came nearly clean off. It flipped backwards onto his back, connected by a thin layer of tissue, muscle, and skin._

_The other soldiers grabbed their guns to shoot, but the clone took care of the weapons with a single swipe from her claws, slicing the cold metal in half. She ran and jammed her claws into one soldier's shoulders. He shouted in pain, his voice distilled by his mask. The clone ejected the claw from her foot and kicked upwards, slicing his heart out. _

_The four other soldiers pulled out batons and swung at her. She grabbed one baton with her hand and another with her foot, using her remaining two limbs to slice the third and fourth batons in half and kill two soldiers. She stabbed with her foot, ramming the baton into another soldier's chest and kicking off of the final soldier with her other foot, pulling his heart out with it. She picked it up with her hand and squeezed, crushing it. Blood splattered all over her bare body and face, the muscle and tissue bleeding through her fingers._

_She looked at the dead men, at the heart in her hand, at the blood and guts on the floors and wall and fell to her knees, sobbing. They left her like that, they always did. In a few moments she would pick up her nightgown, wrap it around her small, petite figure as best as she could, and return to her room._

_This time she didn't. She grabbed a soldier's arm and ripped the flesh from it with her teeth. She continued tearing her prey to pieces with her mouth and claws in such a rage of anger that nothing was left but bones, blood, and shredded muscle. Something pricked her in the neck and she fell to the ground, unconscious.  
-_

Laura sheathed her claws and gripped her hand hard to keep it from shaking so terribly. She was breathing heavily. She pushed her sheets aside messily, feeling the sweat on them and her bare legs. The moonlight filtered over her skin and the cool breeze from the window she had propped open blew against her. The coolness of the soft air and the dampness of the sweat clinging to her body made her shiver and wish to crawl back under her sheets. She couldn't though. She had stuck out her claws this time. She sighed and sat on the edge of her bed, placing her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. She breathed shakily. The always-in-control and tough, fierce clone couldn't stop shaking now. She stood up slowly and carefully, making her bed absolutely silently. She crossed the carpeted floor towards Amara's bed and glanced at her sleeping figure. Laura took the covers in one hand and adjusted them to cover more of the Nova Roman's body. Amara shifted slightly in her sleep. Laura's facial expression barely changed. She glanced at herself in the mirror in passing. Other than the sweat on her body, she looked normal. Her hair was long and straight, as if it could not be messy by design. Her close-cropped black and green shorts and black tank-top clung to her body because of the sweat, but none were ripped, torn, or even wrinkled. Laura sighed softly and opened the large wooden door quietly so she didn't wake Amara. She placed her bare feet on the cold hard-wood floors and shivered slightly as a wave of cold went up her spine. She closed the door and headed down the stairs towards the living room. She had been sleeping down here for a month. She just hoped Rogue didn't come down again tonight. She might get suspicious.  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard will return in a Moment  
**-

* See S1E02 "Sizzling Rich"

** Now, what disaster could she be referring too…(HINT: S1E12-14)

***Hee, hee, hee. Check the Epilogue and the rest of the season. :D


	2. S2E01 In Need of an Angel Epilogue

-  
_Worthington Labs  
October 9, 11:32 EST  
_-

"How's the cure coming, Mr. Worthington?"

"Despite Magneto nearly ruining it this morning and finding out just how close to completion we were, everything seems fine."

"Are you still on-track for the release of the Cure world-wide next month?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Can you produce an aerosolized version?"

"You want to _weaponize_ the Cure?"

"What did you think I was going to do, Mr. Worthington? Have it dished out like a flu shot?"

"Well, no, but I wasn't expecting you to use it in _battle_!"

"The Sentinels are active once again, Mr. Worthington. I won't have them as easily defeated by the mutants as last time."

"Of course."

"Now, where's the young man responsible for this breakthrough?"

"Nate!"

A young man walked over, his white lab coat billowing behind him in the cool air-conditioning of the laboratory. He was tall, slightly pale, with red-brown eyes as rustic as old metal, and pitch-black hair as dark as night. He was rather skinny and flat.

"Mr. President," he greeted with a smile, shaking Kelly's hand.

"Mr. President, this is Dr. Nathaniel Essex. He's the scientist who discovered the ability to make a cure and is the chief doctor working on it."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. President." Nathaniel Essex replied with a glint in his eye. "Call me Nate."


	3. S2E02 Teaser 1

_"There's a new player we've been tracking." Fury started as the images flickered from one to the next. "Vigilante. She's left dozens of bodies around the city; most of them are drug dealers, gangbangers...the misogynistic criminals would be luckier if she kills them. We've been calling her "Knightress"."_  
-

-  
**New Allies**  
-

The purple-hooded vigilante drove through the large door into the sub-level of a _Bishop Publishing_ warehouse. She got off of her purple motorcycle and picked up her bow, crossing the room and placing it and her quiver in the glass display case. There was a girl at the computers. She was of Hispanic descent, with creamy brown skin, dark hair and dark eyes. She glanced up as the purple-clad girl pulled her hood down and shook her jet-black hair free. She pulled off her sunglasses, exposing the true-blue eyes belonging to Kate Bishop.  
-

-  
**New Loves**  
-

The boy laughed, brushed his long black hair behind his ear and walked towards the dark-haired girl in a T-shirt.

"Hi," he greeted.

Laura turned around from watching a hay-ride.

"Hello." She returned politely, but coldly, and turned back to watching the hay-ride.

He paused. This wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting. "Laura, right?"

Laura turned and stared at him intently, as if trying to scan his brain for anomalies.

"I'm Jullian. Jullian Keller." He greeted. His green eyes twinkled as he extended a hand.

Laura stared at his hand, trying to decide whether to remove it or not, then shook it.

"Nice to meet you."

"So do you have a date to this fun-fest or could you give this charming young man the honor of escorting you around?"  
-

-  
**Dark Secrets**  
-

"You know, I think there was something off tonight." Kitty said as she and Rogue crossed the street to Rogue's car.

Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah," Kitty replied. "That assassin…"

Rogue stumbled a little, caught off-guard. "What about 'er?"

"I don't know. For some reason, she seemed familiar." Kitty replied, distantly.

Rogue paused. She had to be very careful here. "Like…an old enemy?"

"No, not like that…" Kitty replied. She thought for a minute as she and Rogue climbed into the car. "Ah well, it's not important."

Rogue nodded and cranked the car. Kitty sighed and leaned her seat back. "Well, I'll text Fury from the Dark Room tonight and tell him he can rest assured Kate Bishop is not the Knightress."

Rogue nodded. She wanted to talk more with Kitty, but her words were stuck in her throat. She was terrified if she opened her mouth again, secrets would spew forth.  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard  
Season 2 "Dark Secrets"  
Episode Two "Young Avenger"  
Saturday, September 6****th****  
**-

"Kate Bishop was originally going to play sick tonight and have the Knightress come in and confront Ian Quinn." Kate said. "But if Kate is at the ball when the vigilante is there…"

"Do you know how annoying it is when you refer to yourself in the third person?" America asked.

Kate smirked.


	4. S2E02 Young Avenger

**AN: Here we are, back again with the second episode of Season 2 of **_**X-Men: Standing Guard**_**. This is the first cross-over event this season with the new series **_**Bishop**_**. It's also the back-door pilot for **_**Bishop**_**. There's an interesting timeline going on here, so let me explain it. Immediately following the events of this episode, the series premiere of **_**Bishop**_** takes place. ****Afterwards, each **_**X-Men**_ **episode will take place at the same time (roughly) as the same episode of **_**Bishop**_**. The two series will be synced and this synchronization will make much more sense further down the road. ****(NOTICE: Because of the lack of reviews, the **_**Bishop**_** story is no longer being published)  
Now, this episode of **_**X-Men**_** is huge! We've got several new plotlines starting this episode, one of which will lead to the end the season. I've already written the final scene and know exactly where we end up this season. I'm introducing a new love interest, changing up some old ones, and am revealing something many of you don't seem to have picked up on by now about Rogue's past life. This episode isn't as long as the Season Premiere, only clocking in at 10,000 words, but trust me, it's plenty jam-packed.  
I actually wrote almost the entire episode in one day, after I finished writing the Season Premiere. A lot of work goes into this series. I appreciate all of your support, but remember that reviews are the only way for me to know if my series are being enjoyed. Once again, I need fifty reviews by the Season Finale for the series to be renewed for its final season. Now, that seems a long way off, but keep in mind that there will only be thirteen episodes this season. That means roughly three reviews per episode will be needed to get the series renewed, and right now I only have one.  
If you have been waiting for Kate Bishop to show up in full vigilante force, and were disappointed this episode, go check out the Series Premiere of **_**Bishop**_** which is **_**live right now!**_** Leave your support on that as well. For sneak peeks at future episodes and updates about progress, check out my profile and follow me on Twitter! Enjoy the episode!  
-**

"Ouch!" Laura exclaimed.

"Suck it in." Rogue replied.

"I do not understand the point of this holiday." Laura replied, sucking in her breath to an impressive degree while Rogue adjusted the strap on her dress.

"It's just for fun." Rogue replied, gritting her teeth and trying to snap the dress onto Laura, but the clone let out a breathless, high-pitched cry and Rogue sighed, standing up. "Some'n didn' buy the right size."

"Sorry!" Amara exclaimed from behind the bathroom door. "She couldn't make up her mind on a costume, so I chose one for her. She was terrified someone would see her trying it on."

Rogue looked at Laura almost disappointed.

"What?" Laura asked.

Rogue sighed exasperated and waved her hands in the air, walking off.

"I still do not understand why I have to go." Laura replied. "My time would be much better spent studying or training here at the Institute."

"Because it's fun." Amara replied, walking out of the bathroom and pulling her hair into a bun while Laura stripped the tight costume off of her body and threw on a T-shirt and jeans. "And because it's a social thing."

"I do not wish to socialize."

"Who knows, X," Amara said deviously. "You might meet a boy."

Laura made a disgusted face and Rogue leaned her head out of the closet.

"I gotta vet him first."

"What? Rogue! She's sixteen!"

"Eight." Rogue corrected.

"Whatever!" Amara exclaimed. "It's not like she can't take care of herself!"

"Ain't the point." Rogue's muffled voice came from inside the closet. She straightened up. "What about Kitty's costume from last year? You said she was a cat?"

"Hell no." Laura said firmly, holding a finger in the air. "I would rather stay here."

"No." Rogue said firmly. "Yo're goin'."

"Rahne is staying here."

"That's diff'nt." Rogue responded, standing up and popping her neck.

"Yeah, she and Roberto are gonna—"

"Amara!" Rogue scolded harshly.

"What?" Amara demanded. "Everyone knows those two have a thing for each other! It's not a big secret!"

"Robbie's datin' Jubes, and Rahne ain't a home-wrecker."

"He's not married to her."

"Hey!" Bobby exclaimed, sticking his head in the door. "Thing starts in ten minutes. Hurry up!" he glanced at Laura. "Why aren't you wearing a costume?"

"The costume was too small." Laura replied. "Apparently I am being forced to attend this ridiculous festival."

"You don't let 'er leave one _second_ early." Rogue ordered Bobby.

"Yes'm." Bobby saluted. He turned to Amara. "You look nice."

"Hnn…" she responded, not even glancing at him as she adjusted her hair in the mirror.

"Oh, come on, Amara!"

"Go away."

"Just look at me!"

"We're not doing this right now!"

"It was one kiss, it was an accident, I swear I won't do it again!"

"Sure," Amara snorted. "You run through girls like a cop runs through donuts."

"That's not fair!"

Laura growled and clutched her head. Bobby shut up and left the room.

"_Rogue, Amara, Laura, Lorna, everyone downstairs now."_ Charles voice spoke into their minds like an echo in the wind.  
-

The three girls descended the stairs, Lorna taking a short-cut and floating down into the main area. She was wearing a gypsy outfit, a white and light green shirt tied up under her breasts. Rogue suspected she was wearing a push-up bra. A long, thin, breezy dress of the same fabric covered her legs, parts of it see-through and cut-away to make the outfit that much more sensual. She had curves, no one could deny that. No one was used to seeing her body, as she was normally conservatively dressed. She had green gloves on her hands and a green, see-through mask that she pulled up over her face. Her hair flowed behind her in cascading waves of Greek fire.

Rahne was above, leaning over the railing, staring down at all of the action. She had cut her hair much shorter over the summer. It no longer had a pixie design, but was instead cut in almost a buzz-cut fashion, somehow standing straight up on her head and managing to be a decent length. She was wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket, a red tank-top and tight blue-jeans. She had gotten her ears pierced over the summer and had several ear-rings in each ear. She was definitely going for a more punkish look.

The source of all the commotion was one, tall Caucasian male in the doorway wearing a black suit and trench-coat. A gun was on his hip and a golden eagle on his right shoulder. An eyepatch covered his right eye, clashing sharply with his pale skin. He must have been near fifty, but the scowl on his scarred face showed he was still very dangerous.

"Fury?" Rogue exclaimed, eyeing him suspiciously as she descended the stairs. "The hell're you doin' here?"

"I came to ask a favor." Fury replied. "Of Ms. Pryde."

"Me?" Kitty exclaimed.

"Yo're outta fav'rs." Rogue exclaimed loudly and strongly. "Ever since ya lied 'bout X!" She pointed at the clone.

"Trust me, Ms. Pryde will want to listen to me this time." Fury replied.

Kitty glanced around and rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she waved, and began to follow Fury out of the doorway. This complicated things for Rogue.

"Wait!" she exclaimed. "I don' think it's wise for Kitty to go alone."

"Agreed," Charles said. "Rogue will accompany Kitty. I hope this is not a problem, Director?"

Fury glanced at Rogue and shook his head.

"Let's go."  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard  
Season 2 Episode Two  
"Young Avenger"  
-**

The S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli-Carrier bridge had changed much since the last time the X-Men had seen it. A hoop was strung on the door that beeped every time a person entered or left. Fury caught Kitty glancing at it.

"It reads a chip inside every member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s body. If you don't have a chip, you're arrested." Fury explained gruffly.

"Why?" Kitty asked.

"T' protect against HYDRA." Rogue responded.

Kitty glanced at her, took the reason, and continued onto the bridge. Fury waved and dismissed most of the bridge staff, leaving only himself and a few technicians alongside Assistant Director Maria Hill. Fury typed a handful of commands into the computer and the shutters over the large floor-to-ceiling windows of the bridge closed with a click.

"We need you to go to New York City." Fury said.

"Why?" Kitty asked.

Holo-images of a purple hooded woman appeared in the middle of the bridge. She wore a dark purple full-body suit with lighter purple armor plates covering her arms, legs, and chest. She had white highlights throughout her suit. In every picture she was wielding a bow.

"There's a new player we've been tracking." Fury started as the images flickered from one to the next. "Vigilante. She's left dozens of bodies around the city; most of them are drug dealers, gangbangers...the misogynistic criminals would be luckier if she kills them. We've been calling her "Knightress"."

Kitty stared at the images. "And you need me..."

"To discover her identity."

Kitty laughed. "What is it with you people and your need to invade everyone's private life? No."

Kitty turned and started to walk off. Rogue glanced at Fury, knowing he still had something up his sleeve.

"We think she's Kate Bishop." Fury called.

Kitty stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. "Kate?"

"Yes, being the vigilante would require training, money for the equipment…and the people she's targeting may be a psychological response to her rape earlier this year." Fury replied.

"Just because something terrible happened to someone doesn't mean they become a vigilante." Kitty replied, folding her arms over her chest.

"Sure it does," Fury replied. "Iron Man was abducted, Bucky Barnes, _Captain America_, was abducted by the Soviets and used as a weapon, Black Widow…"

"Alright! Alright!" Kitty exclaimed, holding up her hands. "Jeez, you people...What do you want me to do?"

"Just investigate. See if you can gather some proof that your friend isn't the vigilante. If she is, we'll recruit her as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and offer her S.H.I.E.L.D. resources. If she isn't, we'll leave her alone."

Kitty narrowed her eyes. "Fine."

Fury nodded. "Good, I'll have a S.H.I.E.L.D. team—"

"No." Kitty replied. "No S.H.I.E.L.D., no X-Men."

"What about me?" Rogue asked.

Kitty glanced at her. "Alright, Rogue. At least I know I can trust _you_…"

Rogue smirked at Fury, folding her arms over her chest. Fury rolled his eyes and turned around, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.  
-

"Nice costume, girlfriend!" someone exclaimed, latching themselves onto Lorna's arm.

"Hey, Valorie!" Lorna exclaimed, clutching the other girl's arm.

Valorie "Calorie" Cooper looked like a model. She had a perfect figure, perfect face, perfect hair, perfect eyes…in short she was perfect excepting her attitude. She was rather dim, shallow, and ditsy. She had taken an affection to Lorna and helped her mold to her new life at the school. They weren't really "friends", but all the girls followed Valorie, and Valorie followed Lorna, so it was a nice compromise.

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed teen was dressed in a rather slutty police officer outfit with a top that didn't cover much of her breasts and shorts so short, you could easily tell what color her underwear was from quite a distance away. She had completed the look with a police cap and fingerless gloves on each hand.

"Nice outfit to you, too." Lorna said, eyeing it carefully. "You ever thought of leaving more to the imagination?"

"What's the point of that?" Valorie demanded, tugging on Lorna's arm again. "After all, the guys love to look, so let 'em!"

Lorna sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Hey! Is that the Drake kid?" Valorie asked.

Lorna glanced at Bobby, sitting quietly on a bench eating cotton-candy. She squinted. "Yeah…it…it is." She muttered. "I've never seen him that quiet…or still…"

"You know he did the strangest thing yesterday." Valorie said.

"What'd he do?" Lorna asked, looking at Valorie in concern.

"I offered…" Valorie leaned up and whispered something in Lorna's ear. Lorna looked shocked.'

"Valorie!" she hissed.

The blonde giggled. "Well I did! You know what he said?"

"What?"

"No!"

Lorna glanced at her, then at Bobby, then twice more. "What?"

"I know, right! What guy _wouldn't_ screw me? Besides, we _all_ know how much he loves girls…"

"Yeah…" Lorna replied.  
-

Lyla Miller stood next to Amara.

"What about those two?" Amara asked eagerly.

Lyla stared at them. "Guy's broke, but pickpocketed people to pay for his girlfriend's night out. His girlfriend is attracted to another guy, though."

"How do you know all of this?" Amara exclaimed. "You're like Sherlock Holmes or something!"

Lyla smiled. "_She_ is staring at some dude on the other side of the field _incessantly_, _he_ hasn't bought one thing for himself."

"Well how did you know he was a pickpocket?" Amara asked.

"Oh, he nicked your wallet a few minutes ago."

Amara felt in the folds of her jacket. "What the hell? Hey! You!"

Lyla smirked.  
-

Kate Bishop sat upstairs in her bedroom, staring at the blank document on her computer. She was supposed to be writing an English report, but couldn't think of a single thing to write about. She hadn't read the book, _The Scarlet Letter_, the cliffnotes were in front of her. She didn't have time, not anymore. The walls of her room were pink and purple stripes, the floor a tan carpet, but it wasn't really visible. Medals and trophies cover the wall, a pile of stuffed animals sits in the corner.

"Kate! Someone's knocking for you!" her sister Susan called from downstairs. "Probably that America chick again!"

Kate sat up straight. Hanging with America was a much better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than writing a college paper. Besides, she may have news. Kate darted downstairs, her purple tee loose and having to tug her close-cropped shorts down. Her jet-black hair flowed behind her and her blue eyes sparkled in the city-lights streaming through the large floor-to-ceiling window in the living room. Kate rushed to the door of her apartment, noting to her sister they need a butler.

"Sure, maybe a BatCave while we're at it." Susan muttered.

Kate stopped for a moment, but waved it off, and opened the door.

"Kitty?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

Kitty embraced the dark-haired girl. "I was in the neighborhood and though I'd stop by. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Kate replied. "Give or take an English report."

Kitty laughed.

"We're not cooling the entire apartment complex!" Susan called from the kitchen.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Grumpy-ass sister." She muttered.

Kitty giggled and Kate gestured for her to come inside.

"So, we aren't going to spend the day working on an English report are we?" Kitty asked loudly.

"I don't have a choice!" Kate replied loudly.

"Oh shut up! No one believes you!" Susan shouted from the kitchen.

The two girls giggled and darted up the modern, metallic stairs to Kate's bedroom.  
-

Rogue shut off the ear-comm, biting and clenching back tears so hard her palm and lips bled. She twirled in the alleyway trying her hardest not to cry. She gasped for air and broke, tears streaming from her eyes and sobs racking her body. She slammed her fist into the wall, blood dripping from her palm and now from her knuckles. She took a loud, deep, shaky breath and twirled, pushing her skull against the white brick wall.

She couldn't stand it sometimes. The pain from what she had done, the guilt of the things she had done, the fear of what she would have to do, the pressure from her current job, the responsibility placed on her shoulders. She slouched beneath it all. She couldn't take it. She needed to hit something. She gasped, standing up, and saw the wall. She turned and hit it.

_Kitty._

She swung her right fist, clenching her white teeth.

_McKenna._

Rogue kicked the wall so hard she was sure she broke a toe.

_Laura._

Rogue growled and hit the wall again, blood spraying from her fist onto the white wall.

_Fury._

She felt her knuckle break beneath the strength of her throw and the stiffness and unmovable power of the wall.

_Secrets._

Rogue slammed her left fist, still cringing when she moved her right fist.

_Lies._

Left fist again. Someone at the end of the alleyway stopped and stared at her. Rogue glared at them, breathing heavily, specks of blood on her face, blowing a strand of the white streak in her hair to the side. The civilian ran.

_Deceit_.

Rogue slammed her right fist into the wall again and her anger continued to build. The wall turned red in her vision and in reality as more blood sprayed from her onto the wall.

_Can't touch…_

Rogue yelled and slammed her head into the wall, stumbling back. She gasped and grasped the cut with her bloody right hand. She kicked the wall over and over. It wasn't fair she couldn't touch. She deserved it, she knew, but God why did it have to be her?

_Gambit_.

He had tried to stand by her, but after a few more incidents of draining, she had sent him away. She couldn't be around the man she loved most in the world. Why her?

_Why?_

She hit the wall with both fists and pulled back, cringing in pain.

_Why?_

Rogue slammed her left fist into the wall, then her wounded right one. Left, right, left right, like pistons on an assembly line she slammed the wall over and over again. There was a large spew of blood on the white bricks of the alley wall, and a pool dripping from her hands onto the dark pavement.

_Why her?_

Rogue knew the answer and increased the frequency of her punches.

_Can't love._

Rogue cried out in both physical and mental pain as she hit a delicate nerve in both her mind and body. She gasped as she sobbed more. She glanced up at the fire escape. Fifteen stories? Should do the job…

Rogue grabbed the floor of the fire escape and flipped up onto the landing.

_Can't touch._

Rogue climbed, breathing hard as she did so, one foot on a ladder rung, then the next. Higher and higher she climbed.

_Can't love_.

She was five stories up, blood continuing to drip from her hands. Some was flowing over her cracked lips and down to her chin, dripping onto her shirt.

_Can't touch_.

Higher.

_Can't love._

Rogue gasped in pain as a stitch opened up in her side, fire igniting within her.

_Can't touch._

Rogue hauled herself onto the roof and stumbled across the gravel, slipping and falling, scraping her exposed skin and getting dirt in the cut on her forehead. She bit the cut on her lip to conquer one pain by giving it another one to focus on.

_Can't love._

Rogue hauled herself to the edge of the roof, breathing heavily. She clenched her broken fist to the stitch on her side. Dirt, gravel, grime, blood flowed down her face. Her yellow and green suit was dirty from the gravel, small specks of blood on it.

_Can't touch._

Rogue eyed the ground at least eighty feet away. One step, kersplat! The world was rid of a problem.

_Can't—_

"Can't love." She gasped and sat down on the roof, sobbing, crying; the tears flowing from her eyes over her cuts onto her suit and body. She sobbed uncontrollably. She cried for a good thirty minutes before taking a deep, shaky breath and rubbing her eyes clean. She climbed the fire-escape down again, slower this time. She made her way to her car and pulled some wipes from the glove compartment. She rubbed them over her face and suit, cleaning herself. She patched up the cut on her forehead; that would be hard to explain. Rogue put a bandage on it and pulled the hair over her forehead, hiding it as best she could. She wrapped her fists in some bandages and covered the knuckles with black tape, sliding her gloves on with a cringe and sighed, eyeing herself in the mirror. No one would notice.  
-

"Who's that?"

"Oh, I'd stay away from her if I were you man."

"Why?"

"Haven't you heard the stories of the tiger lady?"

"Who?"

"Laura Kinney, that girl you got the hots for? Every guy who's tried to get _close_ to her has ended up with dislocated shoulders, broken fingers…she doesn't like guys, despite how much the guys like her."

"Laura Kinney? That's a nice name."

"Don't you dare."

"I think I'll give it a try."

"Dumb-ass."

The boy laughed, brushed his long dark hair behind his ear and walked towards the dark-haired girl in a T-shirt.

"Hi," he greeted.

Laura turned around from watching a hay-ride.

"Hello." She returned politely, but coldly, and turned back to watching the hay-ride.

He paused. This wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting. "Laura, right?"

Laura turned and stared at him intently, as if trying to scan his brain for anomalies.

"I'm Julian. Julian Keller." He greeted. His green eyes twinkled as he extended a hand.

Laura stared at his hand, trying to decide whether to remove it or not, then shook it.

"Nice to meet you."

"So do you have a date to this fun-fest or could you give this charming young man the honor of escorting you around?"

Laura smiled softly, distracted for a moment, then closed her eyes and looked down. "Sorry, I am not looking for companionship."

"I doubt it, beautiful girl such as yourself, I'm sure you got some lucky guy draped across your arm, doing whatever you want."

Laura blushed, she didn't know why. She hated it. She was exposing her inner emotions. She struggled to collect herself.

"Flattery will not get you anywhere with me." She smirked. Why did she smirk?

"Well, how about a showcase of my skills?" Julian asked. "Let me win you something at a carnival game and we can go from there."

He was very confident, and kind of cute. Laura had to admit it. She opened her mouth to decline his offer, but instead heard herself say "Sure."

Julian grinned and offered her his arm. She had half a mind to extend her claws and cut it clean off, but she found herself taking it. It was like her body was reacting before her mind! She had to get control over herself!  
-

"You sure you put the tracker on her?" Rogue asked. "These're awful erratic movements."

"Well if she's a vigilante like Fury thinks, then they make more sense." Kitty replied, leaning over and glancing at the computer read-out.

Rogue brushed a strand of her white hair out of her face and Kitty glanced at it. Rogue cursed herself.

"Rogue! Your forehead!"

"I know," the Belle muttered and tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

"What happened?"

"Tripped and fell." Rogue muttered.

"Are you alright? I mean you might need to get it checked out or—"

"I'm fine." Rogue whispered silently.

The night sky was dark, the moon shining down on the two girls. Rogue's red convertible was parked in an alleyway, hidden by the shadows of the building. She and Kitty were in their X-Men uniforms watching a scanner. The scanner updated every five seconds with another 'bleep!' showing the location of the tracker Kitty had placed on Kate when she had gone to visit her. Kitty had told Rogue she was fairly sure Kate _was_ the vigilante, but didn't want the information getting to Fury's hands. Rogue had nodded silently.

The two girls sat in silence for a minute before Kitty spoke up.

"Are you alright?"

"What?" Rogue asked. "I'm fine, it's just a cut."

"No," Kitty said softly, "not the cut, _you_."

Rogue raised an eyebrow.

"You seem really depressed recently. Did something happen?"

"Other than not bein' able to touch anyone, no, not really." Rogue replied bitterly, gripping the steering wheel ever-tighter.

"Well maybe not _now_, but in the past?"

Rogue stared at her. What the hell was she talking about?

"Well, you never talk about your past, which I totally get, it must have been a nightmare working for Trask, forced to hunt down your own kind…"

"So?" Rogue asked.

"So," Kitty said, taking a deep breath. "So, people who've experienced something really horrible often get really depressed every year about the time whatever it was happened." Kitty dipped, trying to look into Rogue's emerald eyes. "Did something happen to you?"

"Not _to_ me…" Rogue muttered. She realized what she had said and straightened up. "She's on the move again."

Kitty sighed and buckled her seat-belt as Rogue cranked up her car and turned, following the signal down the road.  
-

The purple-hooded vigilante drove through the large door into the sub-level of a _Bishop Publishing_ warehouse. She got off of her purple motorcycle and picked up her bow, crossing the room and placing it and her quiver in the glass display case. There was a girl at the computers. She was of Hispanic descent, with creamy brown skin, dark hair and dark eyes. She glanced up as the purple-clad girl pulled her hood down and shook her jet-black hair free. She pulled off her sunglasses, exposing the true-blue eyes belonging to Kate Bishop.

"How'd it go?" the girl at the computers asked.

"Fine, I didn't get any more leads tonight." Kate replied. "How'd things go for you, America?"

"Nothing still, sorry." The Hispanic apologized.

Kate sighed and picked up her bow. "I'm gonna do a few rounds and go home, see if I can't get that report done. It's due this week."

America nodded and turned back to the computers. Kate picked up her bow and quiver, walking across the long narrow room and taking up position to fire her bow. She fired off two arrows when her phone rang. She glanced at it. It was Kitty. She forwarded it to her Bluetooth.

"Hey, Kitty!" she greeted, notching another arrow.

"Hey, Kate." The voice replied. "What's up?"

There seemed to be a bit of echo on the line. "Nothing much, what about you?" Kate lied.

"Just watching you shoot bullseyes." Kitty responded.

Kate froze, releasing her arrow on accident, and it impaled itself into the wall. She turned around to see Kitty, in full X-Men uniform, leaning against a pillar.

"Kitty?" Kate exclaimed. America turned and let out a small squeal when she saw Kitty standing there. "What-?"

"I followed you." Kitty replied.

"How'd you get in?" Kate asked.

"Phased," Kitty replied. "I brought a guest, too. Don't worry, you can trust her. Rogue!"

For a moment nothing happened. Then a green leg extended itself from the darkness and Rogue stepped out of the shadows almost guiltily, staring at the floor.

America gasped.

Kate saw the white in her hair and her vision turned red. She snarled and leapt.

"Son of a—_bitch_!" she exclaimed, pinning Rogue to the wall with her arm around her throat.

"Whoah! Whoah!" Kitty exclaimed. "Kate!"

"She did it!" Kate snarled. "She's the one who abducted me! The _girl with the white hair_!"

Rogue had remained calmly pinned against the pillar, Kate's arm pressing into her throat. Kitty knew something was up, because Rogue could have _easily_ gotten out of that position if she had wanted.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kitty demanded.

"In Africa! Before I was knocked out, I saw _her_! The girl with the white hair! _She's_ the one who abducted me and my mother!" Kate hissed and pressed her arm further into Rogue's neck. "Where my mother _died_!"

Realization washed over Kate. She turned sharply to Kitty. "What the hell, Kitty! You're the one who brought her here!"

"Whoah! Whoah!" Kitty exclaimed. "I've still got no idea what's going on here. Why don't you get off Rogue and let's see if she can explain."

Kate hesitated, then pushed off of Rogue's throat and stood a short distance away. Rogue adjusted the collar of her jacket and uniform.

"I did do that." Rogue whispered.

Kate went to leap at her again, but America grabbed her arms and held her back.

"I used t' work for the Sentinel Project, a gover'nt division that hunted down mutants."

"I know what it is." Kate spat. "Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?"

"Kate!" Kitty exclaimed.

Rogue waved Kitty down. "They had me do other jobs as well, jobs like abduction." Rogue looked Kate dead in the eyes and showed true remorse. "Jobs like you an' yo'r mother."

Kate growled.

"I didn' know what was gonna happen to y'all. If I had, I woulda done my best t' stop it." Rogue said. "I'm truly sorry."

"That's why you didn't want to see her in the hospital." Kitty said.

Rogue nodded.

Kate was breathing heavily in anger, but America felt confident she could let her go.

"So what are you doing here, _Kitty_?" Kate asked, making sure to exclude Rogue from the picture. The belle sighed and leaned against the pillar.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s catching on to you," Kitty replied. "They sent me here to see if you were the vigilante or not, then tell them."

"But you aren't going to." Kate said. "Otherwise why would you be telling me this?"

Kitty smiled. "We need to make it impossible for you to be the vigilante."

"Well how do we do that?" America asked.

Silence, then Rogue spoke up.

"Have'm in the same place at the same time."

The girls stared at her.  
-

-  
**An Exclusive Look at next week's episode of **_**X-Men: Standing Guard**_**, the first in a two-part game changing event!**_**  
**_-

Ms. Marvel arrival

**Don't Miss the Series Premiere of **_**Bishop**_**, live now!  
**-

"You realize that these games are rigged?" Laura asked Julian as he led her to a stand.

Julian grinned and winked. It made Laura feel warm inside for some reason. She smiled at him.

"So what do you want?" he asked.

"Pardon?" Laura replied. It was something she had picked up from Rogue.

"Prize!" Julian pointed to a row of stuffed animals. "Which one do you want?"

Laura glanced at them. She had no clue which one to choose. It took her approzimately ten seconds, but she finally chose a large purple teddy bear that was the size of her torso.

"Good luck," the stall owner chuckled. Julian tossed the man a five dollar bill and he moved to the side, still chuckling. He was large and wearing a white shirt with jeans. He was grossly obese, and practically bald except for a few white hairs that popped out of his thin beard and even thinner hair.

Julian picked up a baseball and threw it. He missed the can by a fraction of an inch. He picked up the second ball and threw it, this time it shook the can, but didn't knock it over. Laura glanced at him eagerly and Julian at her. He tossed the third ball and it pinged off of the can.

"Hey! Cheat!" Julian exclaimed.

The stall owner cackled. "Guess you aren't as strong as you think, kid."

The stall owner bent over to pick up Jullian's balls and Julian turned to Laura with a devilish look in his eye. He winked at her again and Laura tilted her head, an amused smile on her face. What was he up to?

Julian leaned over the counter and yanked something. The can tipped over. The stall owner stood straight up, but by then Julian was back to leaning on the counter, an amused and triumphant smile on his face.

"Hey! What the hell, kid?"

"You said knock the can over. I did." Julian said.

"You can't knock the can over, moron. It only tips over if—" the owner stopped himself. Julian raised an eyebrow. The stall owner fumed, snatched the purple bear off of the shelf and told them to scram. The two darted away, laughing.

"See? Told you." Julian said.

Laura smiled. "You knew he was cheating you!"

"Of course!" Julian replied. "They all cheat. It doesn't hurt for them to lose one teddy bear." He handed it to Laura. "A token of my affection."

Laura smiled and accepted it with a blush.

"So?" Julian asked after a few seconds of silence.

Laura glanced at him, still cuddling her bear.

"You want some cotton candy?"  
-

"Kate Bishop was originally going to play sick tonight and have the Knightress come in and confront Ian Quinn." Kate said. "But if Kate is at the ball when the vigilante is there…"

"Do you know how annoying it is when you refer to yourself in the third person?" America asked.

Kate smirked.

"Now, here's a question:" America said. "Who the hell plays Knightress?"

Kate glanced at Kitty who shook her head. "Sorry, no can do. I doubt I could pick up the bow properly."

Kate glanced at America, who shook her head as well. "Nope, nope, and nope."

Silence filled the Factory for a moment, then Kitty spoke up. "You might not like it, but Rogue is the best person to fill your boots…literally."

"No." Kate said flatly.

"Kate, she's about your height, your build, and has some bad-ass skills. I've seen them myself."

"I can handle a bow." Rogue confirmed.

"We'll see." Kate replied.

Rogue turned, walked across the room, picked up Kate's bow, notched an arrow, and let it fly. She knocked the pen out of America's hand and pinned it to the wall.

"Holy shit!" America exclaimed. "Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!"

Kate glared and finally rolled her eyes. "Fine, you can shoot."

"Kate, I know you don't like it, but it's the only way." Kitty replied. "Trust her. I do."

Kate stared at Kitty for a moment, studying her. She finally sighed. "Fine."

Rogue nodded and placed the bow back up when she froze. "Who am I going after again?"

"Ian Quinn. He deals in pretty much everything that's illegal." America summarized.

"Shit." Rogue cursed.

"What?" Kate asked.

"I-I've, umm, I've heard of him. He's dangerous."

"What? You can only go after little girls and their mothers?" Kate demanded.

"Kate!" Kitty scolded.

"No, I-I-Kitty, I want you to stay here."

"What?" Kitty asked. She had never seen Rogue like this before.

"I'll see if I can explain later, but _promise_ me you won't go tonight."

Kitty stared at her dumbfounded. "Uh, sure, I guess?"

Rogue nodded. "Alright, I've got to make a phone call."

Rogue stepped outside and Kate turned to Kitty.

"You're totally coming."

"Aw hell yeah."

Rogue paced outside, holding the phone up to her ear.

"Come on, come on, pick up, McKenna, pick up!"

"I'm sorry, the number you have dialed does not have a voice mail box set up. Please leave—"

Rogue cursed.  
-

"It's beautiful, I'n' it?" Rahne asked, leaning against the railing of Roberto's balcony.

"Yes," he whispered, his eyes only on her. "Very,"

Rahne glanced at him and blushed, looking at the ground. "I was talkin' 'bout the moon ye fool."

"And I was talking about you," Roberto replied, brushing his hand against her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into it. He cupped it, placing a finger under her chin and leading her mouth to his…

"No," she replied. "No, ye're datin' Jubilee, an' ye shouldn' cheat on 'er."

"You're the one I care for." He whispered, not removing his hand from her soft face.

Rahne took a deep breath. "Go separate y'self from Jubes, then come back up here and I'll give ye a big wet 'un."

Roberto eyed her. "Consider it done."  
-

Rogue tugged at the purple fabric and pushed a few of the lighter purple arm-plates around. She scratched her hair through her hood, a white-streak falling into her eyes.

"Fuckin' worthless piece uh crap." She muttered.

"I think you look good in it." A new voice replied.

"McKenna!" Rogue hissed, pushing up her hood to get a better glimpse at the brunette.

The two friends were crouched on the roof of the Moira McTaggert Memorial Ballroom. The large oval room was roughly thirty feet below them and covered in a rich gold and red carpet. The walls were a creamy tan color with ornate paintings and decorations populating the area. Some were paintings, others were portraits, a few were photographs. The ceiling was a glass oval dome with three chandeliers hanging from them. Rogue and McKenna were crouched to the side, hidden in the shadows were no one could see them.

There were a little over a hundred people in the ballroom. Most were women, with groups of men spotted throughout. The men wore tuxes and the women wore such a wide variety of dress styles and colors that Rogue knew there would be no problem losing a target in the room.

There she went again, referring to people as "targets".

"So what are you doing up here in that sexy piece of purple?" McKenna asked, running a finger down Rogue's purple arm. She shivered slightly, chill-bumps running up and down her spine.

"See the black-haired girl in the white dress with purple outlines?" Rogue asked.

"Yep."

"That's Kate Bishop. She's supposed t' be wearing this tonight, but S.H.I.E.L.D. suspects her, so she hopes to disprove 'em tonight by having me drop in an' kick some ass."

"Ah," McKenna smiled. "One fine ass kicking another."

"Stop it already!" Rogue exclaimed.

"Stop what?" McKenna asked innocently.

"Stop flirtin'!"

"Who, me?" McKenna asked sweetly. "I'm not flirt—" she turned to Rogue harshly and quickly. "What the hell, Rogue?"

"What?" Rogue asked.

McKenna grabbed her head and directed it to the party below, pointing to a brown-haired girl in a golden, strapless dress.

"What the hell is my sister doing here?"

Rogue growled and pulled out her phone. "Never listens, stubborn li'l ass…" Below Kitty answered her phone. "Kitty! What the hell!"

"What?" Kitty asked innocently.

"Oh don't you pull 'at bullshit! I told ya t' stay at the Factory!"

"Well Kate invited me and I didn't see the harm."

Rogue growled and hung up. "Kate's her friend." She explained to McKenna. "When I heard we were comin' here tonight, I told her to stay there. Shoulda known she wouldn' listen!"

McKenna cursed. "Well tonight's my last chance to confront Quinn. The second I'm done with this mission, I've got to go to Latveria."

Rogue sighed. "Well what're we gonna do?"

McKenna thought for a minute, then she grinned. "I _am_ supposed to _intimidate_ Quinn…"

"Battle Royale?" Rogue asked with a grin.

"Just like Hong Kong." McKenna replied.

"Well, not _exactly_…"

McKenna laughed, clear and loud, sharp and crisp. Rogue missed it. "How long will it take ya t' change?"

"Give me five." McKenna replied. She stood up and moved away a few feet, opening her purse. She dropped her dress to the ground, leaving her in a bra and panties. Rogue stared at her as she undressed, then zipped her tight leather pants up, fastened her leather top on, attached her hood, pulled her mask up, and retrieved her bow.

"Now _that_'s more like Hong Kong." McKenna grinned.

"You look good, too." Rogue complimented her, rather dryly however.

McKenna smiled. "Thank you."

Quinn had dimmed the lights and moved on-stage, the spotlight shining down on him. Rogue and McKenna moved to a better position for battle. The billionaire was dressed in a tan suit, with a loose dress shirt underneath. He seemed casual. He was handsome, wealthy, and as he spoke, Rogue discovered he was charming. He was also a human trafficker, arms dealer, terrorist, and funder of international chaos.

"After you." Rogue smirked. McKenna grinned, kicked out a skylight and dropped in. Everyone looked up in shock as McKenna dropped in, her hood low and her mask high. Her eyes were barely visible. Kate and Kitty were in the back of the room, so there was no way Kitty would recognize her sister. McKenna took out security first, kicking one guard in the stomach and driving arrows into two other's shoulders. She turned and punched the fourth guard. She approached Quinn, who was backing up desperately.

"Mr. Quinn!" McKenna shouted. The microphone picked up her voice and carried it around the room. "Mr. Quinn!"

Rogue took this opportunity and jumped in as well. She stood up and aimed an arrow at Quinn. "You have failed this city!" She turned the arrow at McKenna and fired. The assassin darted to the side and fired her own arrows. Rogue moved to the side and the arrow struck an elderly woman in the shoulder. Rogue cursed and ran up on stage, firing arrows to keep McKenna busy. She had forgotten how good McKenna truly was, though. McKenna returned fire, nicking one of her armor plates.

"Rogue!" Kitty exclaimed through her ear-piece. Rogue tapped her ear and leapt up the stairs, kicking off the wall, landing on the lectern and jumping straight up, firing three arrows at once. One hit McKenna's hood and nearly took it off. McKenna spun away from the crowd, though, and fixed it. Rogue was already on her however, throwing soft punches and gentle kicks.

"Hurt me." McKenna whispered. "Harder!"

Rogue threw real punches, unleashing her true martial arts and powerful body upon McKenna. McKenna had trained Rogue though, and knew all of her moves. McKenna blocked them, jabbing in counter-strikes. Rogue moved her body as if it were liquid, avoiding the blows McKenna threw at her. McKenna had been her teacher and Rogue knew all of her moves.

"Do you see the way they're fighting?" Kate asked Kitty. "It's like they know each other's moves!"

"That's impossible." Kitty replied. "Rogue worked with the government, not assassins. The girl must be a mutant."

"With what, anti-Rogue powers? No, they've trained before. Trust me, I know."

Rogue ducked behind the stage, pulling the lectern down and nearly hitting McKenna. The assassin stumbled back and Rogue leapt, swinging her bow. The two girls dueled, slapping bow-sticks with each other. McKenna grinned beneath her mask and Rogue did as well. McKenna was near a wall. She jumped, kicked upwards off the wall and landed behind Rogue, hitting her in the back. Rogue cringed and turned, swiping at McKenna's legs. The assassin jumped over it and the two clashed bows, pushing as hard as they could until their weapons were at the breaking point.

"Grand finale?" McKenna asked.

Rogue grinned, kicking McKenna away. The assassin stumbled, fell backwards, and tumbled a little longer than she should have, standing up. Rogue already had an arrow notched at her.

"Surrender!" she shouted, the voice changer making her voice deeper.

McKenna smirked and notched her own arrow. She blinked once, twice, three times…

The two girls let their arrows fly and they _cut the other arrows in half_.

"Whoah." Kate whispered.

"You have your warning." McKenna growled at Quinn, pulled an arrow out of her quiver, and fired it at the roof, grappling out. Rogue turned to Quinn.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes I think so." Quinn replied.

"Good, then this will hurt a little bit worse." Rogue notched an arrow and shot it through his shoulder before following McKenna's example and retreating to the roof. Police screeched up outside and a white-haired captain ran through the room.

"NYPD Captain George Stacy! Where's the vigilante?"

Most of the guests pointed to the roof. Stacy cursed.

"This is Delta Charlie Fifty-two to central, we need paramedics, we have wounded." He shouted into his shoulder radio.  
-

Fright Night was pretty much over. Most of the kids had gone home, the stalls were closing up, and the lights were flickering off. Laura and Julian were walking away, bumping shoulders and elbows. Laura had maintained a tight grip on her large purple teddy bear and was still eating the remainder of her _third_ box of pink cotton candy. Julian had a bag of popcorn, mostly devoured, in his right hand, his left he kept near Laura, brushing his fingers against the back of her palm.

The two walked to the edge of the camp, far away from the entrance where none of the other mutants would see them, and stood staring at each other.

"It was nice to meet you, Laura." Julian said.

"It was nice to meet you as well, Julian Keller." Laura replied with a kind, soft, gentle smile. "Thank you for the candy and teddy bear."

Julian smiled. "No problem."

The two stared at each other. Julian rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, it's kind of late. I'm sure you have to get home…I have to get home too…"

Laura nodded, suddenly it was hard to breathe, hard to swallow. The cotton candy stuck to the roof of her mouth and her hands felt sweaty. "I will…see you at school?"

"Yeah," Julian replied. "Yeah, sure."

Laura smiled and nodded, brushing a strand of her brown hair behind her and beginning to walk off. She had gotten about ten feet when Julian called "Laura!" The clone stopped and turned. Julian ran up to her with a pen. He opened her palm and jotted seven digits down. "That's my number. Call me maybe?"

Somewhere, one of Amara's songs popped into Laura's head.

"Yeah, sure." Laura breathed. She felt like she was hyperventilating, but in a good way. She liked it. She smiled and nodded at Julian. Julian turned and ran off. Laura took a deep breath, smiled widely, closed her fist around the teddy bear, and skipped towards the main gate.

No one noticed her cheery mood, fortunately. They were all too busy with their own lives. Lyla and Amara were giggling over a roll of ones that Laura suspected were other people's. Bobby trudged along and Lorna glanced after him worringly.

Laura calmed down and returned to her normal, brooding self, but it took some effort.  
-

"That fight wasn't real." That was the sentence Kate opened with when the four girls returned to the Factory.

"Maybe you just don't know what a real fight is." Rogue returned, her potty mouth reacting before her brain thought it through.

Kate glared. "My uniform. Now."

Rogue tossed her the purple pack of clothing. "Here. It's itchy."

Kate rolled her eyes and turned to Kitty. "Thanks for coming tonight, and thanks for warning me about S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Thanks," Kitty replied. "But Rogue was the one who risked getting caught for you."

"One good deed doesn't erase what you did to me and my mother." Kate said lowly, glaring at Rogue.

The red-head nodded. "I understand."

"No, Rogue! Kate! Apologize!"

"No, Kitty," Rogue responded. "She doesn't have to."

"Yo, Kate!" America exclaimed. "That new drug we've been tracking? A wall-street broker just arranged a meeting with some thugs to buy some. Get dressed."

"Sorry, Kitty, but it seems I'm late for a business meeting."

Kitty smiled. "Good night, Kate Bishop."

"See you around, Kitty Pryde."

Kitty and Rogue left.

"You know, you could've been nicer." America said, turning in her chair. Kate didn't see her eyes on her bare back.

"Would you be nice to the man who killed your family?"

"That's different!" America exclaimed.

"What if it isn't?" Kate asked, pulling the uniform top over her head.  
-

"You know, I think there was something off tonight." Kitty said as she and Rogue crossed the street to Rogue's car.

Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah," Kitty replied. "That assassin…"

Rogue stumbled a little, caught off-guard. "What about 'er?"

"I don't know. For some reason, she seemed familiar." Kitty replied, distantly.

Rogue paused. She had to be very careful here. "Like…an old enemy?"

"No, not like that…" Kitty replied. She thought for a minute as she and Rogue climbed into the car. "Ah well, it's not important."

Rogue nodded and cranked the car. Kitty sighed and leaned her seat back. "Well, I'll text Fury from the Dark Room tonight and tell him he can rest assured Kate Bishop is not the Knightress."

Rogue nodded. She wanted to talk more with Kitty, but her words were stuck in her throat. She was terrified if she opened her mouth again, secrets would spew forth.  
-

"What the hell?" Jubilee exclaimed, throwing a punch at her now ex-boyfriend. Roberto dodged to the side and raised his hands in surrender.

"Just listen, Jubes!"

"Just listen?" she exclaimed. "Just listen?" Jubilee shot a wave of light energy at Roberto and hit him dead in the stomach, throwing him across the room. She stared at her hands in amazement, then turned back to Roberto, determined to test the limits of her newfound power.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Roberto exclaimed. "Just hold on!"

Jubilee swung wildly at his face, charging her swings with her new power. Roberto was having trouble avoiding his ex-girlfriend's violent and erratic swings. She may have been angry and not thinking straight, but she was still dangerous.

"What's going on?" Bobby asked, walking up and glancing in the Danger Room.

"Jubes and Roberto are breaking up." Lorna replied.

"She catch him cheating?" Bobby asked.

"Takes one to know one." Amara scowled. Bobby glared at her.

"No, he broke up with her. At least, that's what I can gather." Lorna replied. "We really shouldn't be watching…"

"Ah, screw it." Bobby replied, leaning forward. "Anyone wanna place bets?"

Lyla tossed a ten to Bobby. "Ten on Jubes."

"Shouldn't gamble." Amara replied, but tossed in a ten and repeated what Lyla said.

Lorna watched carefully.

"What? Not going to bet, _Esmeralda_?" Bobby asked teasingly.

"Five bucks says someone comes in and breaks it up in the next thirty seconds."

"Yeah right!" Amara exclaimed. Lyla agreed. Bobby raised an eyebrow at Lorna. She knew something.

"Twenty to agree with Lorna." He said.

At that precise moment, Wolverine and Storm darted into the Danger Room and broke up the fight. Most of the X-Men booed. Lorna turned around with a smirk. "Pay the lady!"  
-

Rogue pulled up to the gate and waited for the camera to scan her face. The gates swung open and the two girls drove into the Xavier Institute.

"Is this what you were sulky about in the car, Rogue?" Kitty asked suddenly. The two girls hadn't spoken a word on the way home, and Kitty had been building up the nerve to ask.

Rogue didn't reply for a moment. She just sat there, driving slowly towards the mansion. "No," she replied. "No, that ain't it."

Kitty looked at her softly, compassionately. "Then what is it?"

Rogue wanted so much to explain everything to Kitty right then and there. S.H.I.E.L.D., McKenna, Kate, Laura, all of it. There was so much to explain, so little time, and both Fury and McKenna would be pissed with her, so Rogue kept quiet.

"It's nothin'." She whispered.

Before Kitty could respond, the door to the garage opened up and Rogue drove her car inside, the door closing behind them. Rogue just sat, her hands on the steering wheel for a moment. After two minutes of sitting in silence, she finally turned to Kitty. "There is so much I want to tell you, and most of it I can't. I promise I will be as truthful as I can with you, Kitty, but you have to trust that everything I do is for your safety and the safety of everyone here."

Kitty stared at her as if she had grown a third eyeball. What the hell was she talking about?

Kitty nodded. "Yeah, sure."  
-

Laura had thrown away the cotton candy on the way home, washed her hands, and cleaned up quickly. Amara always let Laura clean up first because she knew Laura liked quick, cold showers and was very strict. Laura exited the bathroom in a bath-robe. She had a hand-towel in her hand, drying her hair with that. Amara glanced up at her from behind the magazine she was reading, and hopped off of her bed, grabbing a towel and a pair of clothes on her way to the bathroom.

"Nice bear, by the way." She called as she passed Laura on the way to the bathroom. "Where'd you get it?"

Laura froze up for a moment before calmly and coolly replying "Carnival Game."

Amara nodded and closed the bathroom door behind her. Laura walked over to her bed and got dressed quickly, sliding on a pair of panties and green close-cropped shorts. As she pulled the black tank-top over her head she wondered what Julian was wearing tonight. She had no idea why the idea popped in her head, but it did. She imagined him taking his shirt off…he had to look spectacular under-neath…

Laura shook her head. She shouldn't think about that right now. It was time for sleep.

Sleep.

Laura had been rubbing the teddy bear while thinking of Julian. She looked at it and took a deep sniff. Through all of the other smells, the cotton, the plastic, the chemicals, and even herself, she could still smell him. He smelled sweet, like candy, sweat, and a little bit of soap.

Laura placed the bear on the ground partially under her bed. She knew when she went to sleep she would dream. She knew when she dreamed she would wake up with her claws out. She didn't want to shred Jullian's teddy bear.

The number Julian had written on her hand had washed off, but Laura had already memorized it. She would have to stop by a store on the way to school tomorrow and pick up a cell-phone.

Laura slid her legs beneath the blankets, flicked off her light, and lay her head on her soft pillow. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  
-

_She wasn't in the maze anymore. She had already proven she was a killer, that she could handle herself. Several more sessions like the previous one and she was no longer weak. Now she was moving to stealth tactics. Several HYDRA soldiers were on break in the bio-room. She had been shown three to kill. She had to do it without anyone noticing. Failure meant punishment._

_Since the Weapon X facility was located underground, HYDRA soldiers couldn't go above ground to relax, so there were large rooms with plants and trees spotted throughout the facility for the soldiers to take breaks. The light on the ceiling even imitated the sun's position at that time during the day._

_X-23 crawled through the trees. The leaves barely whispered as she slid from limb to limb like a snake, silent as a cat, dangerous as Damocles' sword._

_The assassin spotted her first target. He was sitting on a bench in the corner reading a newspaper. He was the first HYDRA agent X-23 had seen without his mask on. He had short brown hair and brown eyes. He had a square jaw and a sharp nose. He seemed very interested in one article, scanning it with his eyes acutely. Laura moved above him and glanced around. No one was looking, no one was nearby. This would be easy…_

"Laura!"

The clone woke up suddenly, feeling someone shaking her. Her claws were out.

"Whoa! It's just me!" Amara exclaimed.

"What?" Laura asked. "What is it?"

"Easy there, tiger." Amara replied. Her face was grim, even if she was trying to crack jokes with the clone. "The Professor's called us all downstairs. Priority One. Didn't you hear the telepathic message?"

Laura touched her head. "No…no I did not."

"Well get dressed and come on."  
-

The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon shining through the thin white curtains hanging over the windows looking out into the backyard of the Xavier Institute. The windows were closed, but a cool breeze still washed over the two lovers. The sheets were tangled through legs and bodies, Rahne held close to Roberto with his strong arm.

'_Everyone downstairs now.'_ Charles ordered telepathically. The telepathic message woke everyone. Rahne blinked sleepily. Charles sent the message a second time and the two moved, dressing quickly. Rahne slid on her jeans and tee again. Roberto slid on boxers, a tee-shirt, and some shorts. He opened the door for Rahne, still trying to wake himself up. The couple joined the others zombie-walking down the stairs to the main living room where Charles sat, still in his turtle-neck and sports coat.

"Walk of shame." Amara snickered quietly to those around her. Lyla snickered as well and Lorna raised an eyebrow. Laura seemed interested in something going on inside of that strange little head of hers.

"What'd you call us down here for, Prof.?" Bobby asked, rubbing his eyes. "If this is an emergency Danger Room session, I'm leaving first thing in the morning."

"No, Bobby, I'm afraid that this is not a drill." Charles said. "Is everyone here?"

Distant confirmations came from sleepy mouths.

"Good. I've been doing some looking over our computer systems the last two weeks. Someone has been sending encrypted messages through Cerebro."

That woke everyone up.

"The culprit was very good, and I just discovered where the transmission was going tonight:"

"Genosha"

Shock rippled through the X-Men.

"Wait, Professor, what are you saying?" Amara asked.

"I'm saying, my dear X-Men." Charles replied gravely. "We have a traitor among us."  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard will Return Shortly  
**-  
**The new series **_**Bishop**_ **picks up right after **_**X-Men **_**leaves off! The pilot is live now, go check it out!  
-**


	5. S2E02 Young Avenger Epilogue

"What have you to report, Agent Rogue?" Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. asked.

"Kitty Pryde was lying when she said she didn' know the identity of Knightress."

"It's Kate Bishop?"

"Yessir." Rogue confirmed.

Fury nodded. "Thank you, Agent."

"One other thing, D'rector." Rogue said.

"Yes, Agent Rogue?" Fury asked.

Rogue took a deep breath. She'd never asked this before. "I want t' bring Kitty into the fold."

Fury paused. "Kitty Pryde?"

"Yessir."

Another long pause, then "no."

"No?" Rogue asked.

"No, Agent Rogue."

"I trust 'er!" Rogue exclaimed. "I trust 'er with m' life!"

"Trusting someone with your life, and trusting someone with your secrets is very different, Agent Rogue." Fury said. "Besides, you'd have to bring up her sister to explain everything and I doubt very much McKenna will like that."

A pause.

"What if I could get McKenna to tell her sister she's alive?"

A third pause, this one much shorter.

"Get the Prydes together again and we'll talk about it." Fury replied. "Good night, Agent Rogue."


	6. Thank You & Exclusive Clip

**Thank you all so much for your support on this series! In case you missed it, on Sunday we blew our previous views-in-a-single-day record of 144 out of the water and got almost 300! Also, we're at 1,500 views for the whole month A screenshot of the achievement is on my Twitter. To thank you all so much for your support, here's an exclusive clip from a future episode of ****_X-Men: Standing Guard_****.**

Jullian was waiting by the door of the theater. He looked cold, Laura thought. He was wearing a black shirt and a school jacket, black with green sleeves. His dark jeans clung to his frame. His messy black hair blew in the wind. He looked strong, yet compassionate.

Laura was dressed in black leather pants, insulated and armored, she had stolen them from her uniform and simply removed the orange stripes. She had on a yellow turtleneck and her usual black motorcycle jacket. She had combed and straightened her hair as well as borrowed some of Amara's makeup, which had been rather difficult because the teen had been practically watching her every move.

The snow was starting to fall and the wind blew it into Laura's and Jullian's faces. She smiled when she saw him and darted over, hugging him tightly. He smiled and put a gloved hand on her cheek, pressing his lips to hers. Laura wrapped her arms around his neck and twisted her fingers into his hair. He rested his hands on her lower back, pushing her stomach into his. She smiled and pulled away.

"I can see you really meant what you said." She whispered softly, snow falling into her hair.

Jullian grinned. "Of course I did." He kissed her again.

Laura opened her mouth to say something, but instead, snowflakes flew inside and she gagged on the intake of powdery ice. Jullian laughed. "They're snowflakes, silly! Catch one on your tongue!"

Laura looked at him curiously, but stuck out her tongue and caught one. It was cold, and yet somehow sweet. She looked at him with a new enthusiasm in her eyes and Jullian laughed.

"Alright, it's cold. Let's go inside." He said. He offered her his arm and Laura slid hers into his. Jullian led her inside the theater.  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard  
New Episode October 4th  
**-


	7. Episode 3 Teaser

"…_United States government has declared the bombing, which cost an estimated two hundred and fifty people their lives a terrorist attack by mutant terrorist Erik Lenscherr, otherwise known as Magneto. Magneto made headlines last year after the Christmas Rally Massacre in which fifty-three people died. Many have been upset that the mutant terrorist was allowed to return to his old home despite the terror he caused. Just two weeks ago Magneto made news again by breaking the Human-Mutant treaty. President Kelly immediately reactivated the United States Sentinel Program…"_  
-

-  
**New Threat**  
-

The tunnel erupted into flames. The flames encircled the Morlocks, but did not burn them. Red, yellow, and orange swirled about them, creating a vortex with them in the middle. Then it stopped. All of the flames were sucked to one side of the room and formed a pillar, which slowly solidified into a person. They were wearing a red and yellow body suit, flowing with their curves. They were tall. Their long hair was on fire, floating gently in the air. What appeared to be a yellow-orange hood made of individual bird feathers had sloped down and covered their face., leaving only their nose and mouth visible. Unseen eyes blinked at them. Flames trickled up their arms.

There was complete silence for a moment in the sewer drain as the Morlocks took in their fearsome invader. Finally Calypso spoke boldly, taking a step forward and brandishing a rifle.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I am the Phoenix." The hellish voice replied back, it's soulless echo surrounding the Morlocks.  
-

-  
**Shocking Turn**  
-

"What about the bomb?"

"It's M'kraan." The blonde woman said, her head in her hand.

"McRain?" Rogue asked.

"M'kraan." She corrected. "They were a dangerous alien race that invented life forms."

"Invented life forms?" Rogue snorted. "That's impossible."

"Well they did." The blonde replied. "One of the creatures they created was the Dark Phoenix Force."

"The what?" Rogue asked.

"The Dark Phoenix Force." The blonde repeated. "A cosmic entity that requires a host to exercise its power. It has the ability to turn anything, organic or inorganic, to cosmic dust, a substance less than the atom. It also has extreme telepathy and telekinesis powers."

Rogue glanced at Jean.

"I know you don't like me, Rogue," Jean said. "But I am not a cosmic entity. Besides, I don't turn people to dust."

"It appears in the image of a flaming Phoenix most often."

"Guess what was on the security cameras right before they fried?" Scott asked.

"Flame."

"Burnt the guards…to cosmic dust." She whispered. "After 30,000 years, the Phoenix is here on Earth and wreaking havoc. Why is it targeting Worthington Labs though?"  
-

-  
**Avenger Assembles**  
-

The two charged at each other, Ms. Marvel swinging. The red-haired girl slid between her legs and placed a firm kick to the base of her spine. Ms. Marvel stumbled and caught her punch. The girl intertwined her leg with Ms. Marvel's and twisted, causing the blonde to fall down. She slammed her foot down at Ms. Marvel's stomach, but the Avenger rolled to the side and stood up, swinging again. The red-head dodged her punches, caught some, and ducked others.

The girl flipped backwards, grabbed a suspension cord, and launched herself at Marvel. Ms. Marvel caught the girl in mid-air and head-butted her. She stumbled back, clutching her head. _That_ was not what she was expecting. She glanced up and nearly lost her head to a blow from the Avenger. The red-haired girl punched Ms. Marvel in the stomach over and over, making the blonde double over. Ms. Marvel may be invulnerable, but she could still feel the red head's powerful punches. She wrapped her arm around the Avenger's neck and flipped her over onto her back, the woman placing her boot at Ms. Marvel's throat.

"It's over!"

"Like hell." Marvel replied, grabbing her leg and throwing her to the ground.  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard**  
**Season 2 "Dark Secrets"**  
**Episode Three** "**The Plot Thickens**"  
**Saturday, October 4th**  
-

"Just talk to her, okay? She won't talk to anyone else."

Rogue nodded faintly, seeming to stare into the distance. Amara leapt, reaching for the orange soda, but before her hand had crossed half the distance, it was already at Rogue's lips. Rogue swallowed the entirety of the drink, let out a loud belch, and sighed contentedly.

"Ha ha!" she exclaimed triumphantly, throwing the bottle across the room and into the garbage can.


	8. Technical Difficulties

PLEASE NOTICE: I am having severe technical difficulties which prevent me from editing or uploading documents. I apologize for this inconvenience, and I am working as quickly as possible to get everything working again. Until then, all content is on hiatus. Follow me on Twitter for details.


	9. UPDATE & Bishop S1E02 Filler

**Hey everyone! So in case you aren't following my twitter (which I assume you aren't,) here's the latest on the technical difficulties. On Saturday, my computer crashed. I was just browsing the internet when it died. I tried resuscitating, but there was nothing I could do. It blackscreened that afternoon. Up until even today, I am trying anything I can to get it back up and operational, but have been forced to move to a secondary (crappier) computer to continue writing and publishing. I can confirm that ****_X-Men: Standing Guard_**** will continue on schedule for the time being. I have all the way halfway through Episode Seven complete, and Episode Seven isn't being released until January, so you're fine for content. However, I will not be publishing anything extra (unless something special happens) because I am focusing on getting my computer to work again. Thank you.**

**Anyway, I promised some time ago that despite the fact ****_Bishop_**** never got to see the light of day, I would be publishing short clips to keep you filled in on the story so you know what is going on. Here is one of those clips! Hope you enjoy!  
****-**

**-  
**Kate parked in the Warehouse and pulled off her helmet.

"Stupid fucking meta-humans."

"Spiderman again?" America asked with a sigh, turning to the purple-clad archer.

"Yeah." Kate sighed, trying to pull some webbing out of her hair. "You are dressed up."

America was. She was wearing tight black pants and a loose gold sequin shirt. She had on dark red lipstick, and her dark hair was done up in curls.

"Yeah, I had a date, remember oh ye social bug?" America asked.

"You have fun?" Kate asked with a smile.

"Yeah." America replied, moving to turn back towards the computer.

"Is she pretty?" Kate asked.

America slammed her foot into the desk and cursed. She wheeled slowly back around to face Kate. "What?"

"Is she pretty?" Kate repeated.

America squinted her eyes at Kate, studying her.

"You're wearing dark red lipstick, yet the purple is smudged all over your face, despite your hurried attempts to clean it off." Kate said. "That's the first clue."

"Could've been a guy." America protested, sticking her bottom lip out.

"Only gay guys wear lipstick." Kate said, putting her bow in her glass case. "Like Eli."

"That's not lipstick." Eli said. "It's chapstick 'cause it's fucking October."

"Eavesdropping?" Kate asked.

"Working out." Eli replied, wiping the sweat off of his head with the back of his hand.

"Uh-huh." Kate muttered, turning and hanging her quiver on the wall as well.

"Besides, I'm not gay." Eli said.

"Uh-huh." Kate replied with a smirk. She could tell she was pissing the guy off.

"I'm not." Eli protested.

"Not even a little?" Kate teased.

Eli smirked and folded his arms over his chest. "Why, Kate? Does the thought of me with another guy turn you on?"

Kate stumbled and ran right into a pillar. America, who had been snickering before, burst out into a full blown laugh, stomping the floor with her heel and clutching her stomach.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "You-You-You walked right into that one. _Literally!_" Then she burst into a fresh batch of laughter.

"Hilarious." Kate muttered, standing up.

"What about you, Kate?" Eli asked. "Gay?"

"Hell no." Kate replied, waving a hand. She turned to America who was getting over her laughter. "No offense."

"Too bad." America smirked. "I'd do you."

Kate laughed. "Don't tell me that's why you've been following me around this whole time."

America fell silent and Kate stopped.

"Oh-my-God-it-is!" she exclaimed. "You're hot for me!"

"I-I wouldn't put it that way!" America stammered.

"No, it's fine!" Kate said. "Just-why didn't you ever say anything?"

"That's a great way to end a friendship!" America exclaimed. "Hey, you realize I'm gay and I'm only your friend 'cause I wanna nail you."

Silence.

"_That-that _ was the wrong way to put it." Kate said.

The three stood for a moment more in silence before realizing how hilarious this whole situation was and bursting out laughing.  
-

**-  
****I hope you enjoyed this clip! Check back in two weeks for another, and don't forget to check out the biggest episode of _X-Men: Standing Guard_ yet THIS SATURDAY!**


	10. S2E03 The Plot Thickens

**WARNING: The following episode contains a scene of mature sexual nature. Reader's Discretion Advised.**  
**-**

**AN: The second episode in a row with a huge cliffhanger and the first in a two-part special game-changing event! Last week we blew our viewings in a single day record out of the water! In case you missed it, our previous record was 144, our new record is 278. A picture can be seen on Twitter. Thank you all so much for your support on this series, it is the only things stronger than fear…erm…only thing that keeps me writing. :P**  
**Anyway, first of the norm of the season. Get ready for some epic plot twists, new characters, and explosions! Also, this episode introduces the main villain of the season. If you watched Twitter, you'd know who that is. **  
**Anyway, keep up the viewings and please Fav/Follow and Review! It's the only way to know the series is being appreciated. Now, the plot thickens.**  
**-**

-  
The Morlocks lived in the sewers. They had blocked off the streams of waste and debris, re-routing them to other parts of the city. It had taken some time, but they had finally cleared out a central drain and formed a base within. It still stunk like burnt rubber, but at least it was safe for them to sleep here.

The Morlocks were a group of mutants who couldn't live in the real world. Most of them had disfigured body-parts, changed skin-colors, or their mutations were so uncontrollable they couldn't trust themselves in the world above.

The leader of the Morlocks was Calipso, a one-eyed masculine looking woman who favored guns. Her left-handed lieutenant was Caliban, a quiet mutant with the ability to seek other mutants out and discover malicious intent. He looked like a pale zombie, his soulless eyes peering out and seeming to read one's very soul.

The Morlocks numbered almost fifty. They were split between their various bases under New York and New Jersey. Only a dozen or so mutants were in the sewer base with Calypso at the moment, most asleep or playing odd games like checkers and cards.

Fast footsteps in sewer water alerted the mutants to the approach of someone. A mutant with an inflated head and one arm shorter than her other, stumbled out of the tunnel.

"Incoming! Incoming!" she yelled, stumbling towards the middle of the sewer drain.

Somewhere in the distance, a roar was heard. At first it was quiet, like a far away train. Then as it got closer, it got louder, sounding like a twister, a herd of stampeding beasts, an unstoppable roar and crackle that seemed to surround the Morlocks. They were all awake by now, standing on guard, their various mutations activating.

The tunnel the girl had run from erupted into flames. The flames encircled the Morlocks, but did not burn them. Red, yellow, and orange swirled about them, creating a vortex with them in the middle. Then it stopped. All of the flames were sucked to one side of the room and formed a pillar, which slowly solidified into a person. They were wearing a red and yellow body suit, flowing with their curves. They were tall. Their long hair was on fire, floating gently in the air. What appeared to be a yellow-orange hood made of individual bird feathers had sloped down and covered their face., leaving only their nose and mouth visible. Unseen eyes blinked at them. Flames trickled up their arms.

There was complete silence for a moment in the sewer drain as the Morlocks took in their fearsome invader. Finally Calypso spoke boldly, taking a step forward and brandishing a rifle.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I am the Phoenix." The hellish voice replied back, it's soulless echo surrounding the Morlocks.

"Never heard of you." Calypso returned.

"By design." The Phoenix replied.

"What are you doing here?" Calypso demanded.

"I am here to ask for your assistance in a task I have set." The Phoenix replied.

"What _task_?"

"I am going to plant a bomb inside Worthington Labs and destroy the Cure that Mr. Worthington is working on."

"The Cure isn't real." Calyspo retorted.

"It is, mutants." Phoenix replied. "And it is ready for distribution."

Shock rippled through the Morlocks.

"So? Will you help me destroy it or stand by idly while Worthington eradicates your kind."

Calypso glanced at Caliban and the rest of the Morlocks.  
-

The doors to Worthington Labs blew inwards, pillars of flames creating a series of holes through the guards chests, dropping them all to the ground lifeless and smoking. Phoenix obliterated the security systems and the Morlocks walked in, Phoenix levitating behind them. Two guards tried to open fire on the mutants, but Phoenix turned them to nothing, literally disassembling their molecules without lifting a finger.

The Morlocks made their way to an elevator, killing everyone inside and taking it to the lower levels.

The alarms in the labs had been triggered by now. Nathaniel Essex, a short, cunning man with blonde hair and dark eyes was running frantically, sealing doors behind him. He had the Cure in his arms. His plan was to lock himself in the safe room until help arrived. The Cure was ready, yes, but Essex wasn't sure he could get it in one of the mutants, much less the entire group!

There were now seven solid steel doors behind him. He stood gasping, leaning against the clean white walls of the room. One boom, two, three…the booms got closer each time. On the seventh, a loud explosion sounded and the door turned to shrapnel, impaling itself in his skin. Essex held up his arm to shield his face. When he lowered it, he watched, dazed from the explosion, as if in another person's body, as the Morlocks took the Cure from his arms and smashed it. His life's work was gone. The one-eyed girl placed something next to his body. It was gray, with several cylinders and a large white box on top. He didn't realize what it was until he heard a faint beeping and watched the time slowly tick down from five minutes.

The one-eyed girl grabbed a handcuff and chained him to the leg of a table. He was dazed, trapped, and a bomb was about to go off next to him. He watched as the Morlocks departed, their mysterious fiery friend watching from the doorway.

"H-Help!" he gasped out. His lung must have been collapsed, maybe a fractured rib or two. Essex took three whole minutes to regain control over his body and manage to move an inch. He stumbled away from the bomb, tilting the thin, metallic table over to shield him. He glanced at the timer.

Ninety seconds. He struggled frantically with the handcuff. He couldn't get free!

Sixty seconds. Essex spotted a glass cylinder and pulled it down, smashing it on the floor. He grabbed the thinnest glass shard he saw and jammed it into the lock of the handcuff. Maybe if he was lucky…

Thirty seconds. Essex dug frantically at the handcuff. He could try to haul himself and the table towards the door, but he doubted he'd make it halfway across the room.

Fifteen seconds. In desperation and finally giving up, Essex yelled. The handcuffed shattered. He stared at it dumbfoundedly. He had unlocked it! He was a mutant!

Five seconds. Nathaniel ran for the door, but it was too late. The lab exploded behind him, throwing him down the long, circular hallway of shattered doors and dead bodies. He was tossed around like a ping-pong ball. He yelled as heat seared his skin off and melted his features together.

Outside, fire erupted from every window in the building, then the entire glass-and-steel structure collapsed, creating havoc and debris, raining down fire and hell on New York City.

Phoenix smiled at her work and disappeared into the night, nothing but a flaming demon.  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard**  
**Season 2 Episode Three**  
"**The Plot Thickens"**  
-

Charles and Cassidy rolled out of the Infirmary. Cassidy rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Oh, come here you." Rogue exclaimed, reaching down and picking up the young girl, cradling the younger in her arms.

"She's clean, just as I thought." Charles replied. "I just needed to check and make sure."

Rogue nodded. Charles had been performing psychiatric evaluations throughout the week on every X-Men member. No one had turned up as traitor. Cassidy had been the final mutant to be evaluated. When Charles performed an evaluation of this size, he put the subject to sleep first. Activities around the Xavier Institute had come to a grinding halt in light of the shocking news one of them was a traitor. At first, suspicion had been thrown around rather harshly. The main target of the underhanded comments was Lorna. Magneto was her father after all, why wouldn't she be talking to him? They had continued for a short time even after Lorna had been cleared by Charles. Lorna had invited all of her accusers to the Danger Room and locked them inside for three hours. When they emerged, all noises about her turning traitor had faded.

Suspicion had been tossed everywhere. Laura was a clone, maybe she was a sleeper agent. Rogue was a former spy (the X-Men were aware of her past with the Sentinel Project, and even if her involvement was forced, she had still been involved). Amara was a hot-head. Bobby had a heart as cold as ice and had been acting suspiciously recently. Only the staff had not been vetted for possible leaks. Charles trusted every member of his staff with his life. The only member of the staff who had been evaluated was Rogue, simply because of the rumors and her past.

Cassidy pushed her rusty hair covered head into Rogue's chest and yawned sleepily. Rogue mouthed something along the lines of taking Cassidy up to bed. Charles nodded with a smile, but inside he was concerned. This next step was very dangerous…

Storm's voice over the intercom system called Professor Xavier down to the Dark Room. Charles rolled off.

As Rogue walked upstairs, Amara and Laura darted past.

"Whoa! No running!" Rogue whisper-scolded.

"Did you not hear the news?" Laura asked.

"What?" Rogue asked.

"Worthington Labs was completely destroyed! The government is calling the attack a terrorist attack and have blamed Magneto!"

Rogue's eyes widened.  
-

Jean laughed and sat up, giggling. The red-head had been enjoying her honeymoon with Scott so far. Several things had popped up on the news, but for the most part, the Bahama-bound couple had avoided news networks.

The red-head tugged the strap of her white tank-top back up on her shoulder.

"Order some room service, you." She giggled. "I'll find a movie channel."

Scott reached for the phone and Jean grabbed the remote, turning the television on. The first thing she saw was a news broadcast, but she switched the channel. Another news broadcast. She kept flipping channels. It was the news on all of them.

"Scott, baby, I think something's wrong." Jean said, stopping on one channel.

"What happened?" Scott asked, sitting up. "Fire?"

"No, it wouldn't be on every channel…" Jean muttered. "I-I think it was a bomb."

"…_United States government has declared the bombing, which cost an estimated two hundred and fifty people their lives a terrorist attack by mutant terrorist Erik Lenscherr, otherwise known as Magneto."_

"Get packed." Scott said. "We have to go back."

"Yeah," Jean replied distantly, leaving the television on.

"_Magneto made headlines last year after the Christmas Rally Massacre in which fifty-three people died. Many have been upset that the mutant terrorist was allowed to return to his old home despite the terror he caused. Just two weeks ago Magneto made news again by breaking the Human-Mutant treaty. President Kelly immediately reactivated the United States Sentinel Program…"_  
_-_

"Have you found anymore bodies?" Worthington asked, desperately, clutching a rag to his face as he surveyed the smoldering wreckage of his office building.

"Twelve, sir." The officer replied.

"What about our lower levels? Where they harmed in the blast?"

"The blast _came_ from the lower levels." The officer replied.

Worthington stared in horror. His cure…!

"Move! Move! We've got a breather!"

A pale skinned, scarred man was wheeled out of the building. His hair had been burnt completely off. Muscles and scar tissue covered almost the entirety of his body. His skin had melted upon itself, re-shaping his face. An oxygen mask covered his face, but Worthington could have sworn he recognized him.

"Dr. Essex!" he exclaimed, running forward.

"Back, sir!" one officer exclaimed, holding the millionaire back. "He was found near the safe room. He's lucky to be alive. That blast should have killed him…"

Worthington watched as Essex was loaded into an ambulance and driven off. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Jerry? Yes? I want my best doctors on a John Doe heading to—"  
-

Amara yawned and pushed open the door to the bedroom she shared with Laura. The now-blonde had been studying at the library with some friends for a calculus test the next day. She tossed her books down rather noisily and glanced over to see if she had woken Laura up when she saw her.

The room had been dark, which was why Amara hadn't noticed Laura's twitching before. The dark-haired girl was rolling in her bed, her feet kicking the covers off of her slim and sweaty body. Her eyes were closed tightly. She swung with her fist, but no claws.

"Laura!" Amara whispered, approaching the clone. Laura continued to struggle in her sleep.

"Laura!" Amara repeated. "It's a dream! Wake up!"

Amara reached down and placed a hand on Laura's shoulder. The clone opened her eyes, gasped, extended her claws, and swiped at Amara, cutting her arm.

"God _damn_!" Amara exclaimed, hopping up and clutching the wound. "Damn! Fuck! Shit! What the hell?!"

Laura's eyes widened when she saw what she had done. She stumbled out of bed towards Amara.

"I am so sorry!" she exclaimed. "I did not mean to cut you!"

"Sure as hell feels like it." Amara gritted. "What the hell?"

Laura remained silent.

"Were you having a nightmare?" Amara asked, covering her arm in flames and cauterizing the wound. She gestured for Laura to follow her to the bathroom. The clone did as the clone was told.

"Laura," Amara said, her voice rising in that pitch Laura had learned meant "answer me."

"Yes." She finally whispered.

Amara sighed and wet a washcloth with warm water. "Are you alright?"

"Am I alright?" Laura exclaimed. "You are the one I harmed!"

"Yeesh, it's a cut." Amara replied, dabbing the washcloth around the burnt wound, still wincing as she wiped blood off. "Don't over react."

Laura remained quiet, watching Amara.

"Laura, are you alright?" Amara asked again, staring at the clone's reflection in the mirror.

"They are only dreams." Laura whispered.

"Doesn't sound like it." Amara replied.

"Dreams come from your brain, and are products of your imagination or memory cells. Thus they are not real." Laura recited.

"You memorized that." Amara noted.

"I memorized many things when—ah!"

"What?" Amara asked.

"A headache." Laura replied. She wondered…what was she about to say? What _had_ she said?

Amara tossed the washcloth in the dirty-clothes hamper and pulled out a bandage, pasting it over the wound. She turned and sat on the sink, staring at Laura.

"What are they about?" she asked.

Laura remained quiet.

"Laura, what were the dreams about?"

"I do not wish to discuss them." Laura replied quietly.

"I'm your best friend, Laura, you can tell me anything. You know that, right?"

Laura nodded gently.

Amara reached out and grabbed the clone's hand, placing it between hers. "Then tell me." She whispered.

Laura took a shaky breath. "They are surpressed memories." She replied. "Memories I would rather not relive."

"From your days with HYDRA?" Amara asked.

HYDRA was always a touchy subject with Laura. She had been an assassin for a Nazi extremist group. It kind of ruined her childhood. She nodded quietly.

"Training missions." She whispered. "At first, I was the victim and they were the hunters." Laura stared a hole in the floor, wishing she could melt through it. "Then the roles were reversed." She added, almost inaudibly.

Amara nodded. "You said HYDRA wiped your mind after S.H.I.E.L.D. raided their facility?"

Laura nodded.

"Perhaps they didn't finish the job? You need to speak to the Prof about this."

"No!" Laura exclaimed.

"Laura…"

"No!" Laura replied. "I am not discussing this further with anyone except Rogue."

"Laura—"

"I will sleep on the couch tonight." Laura replied.

"Just like every night?" Amara called after the retreating figure. Laura stopped in the doorway.

"You noticed?"

"Of course I noticed!" Amara exclaimed, hopping down from the sink. "You don't think I heard you get up in the middle of the night and leave? You've been doing this for weeks!"

Laura stared at the floor.

"It obviously isn't working." Amara whispered.

"Well do you have a better idea?" Laura snapped at her. Amara was taken aback. Laura never snapped at anyone. The clone seemed to immediately regret her actions. She clutched her head and took a deep breath, looking upwards. A sign she needed to cry.

"Here," Amara said. "You sleep with me tonight."

"What?" Laura exclaimed. "No!"

"Just give it a try, Laura." Amara replied. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll stay awake and watch you. If you start to twitch, I'll wake you up."

Laura stared at her, but sighed and nodded.

"Good, go it in bed, and I'm going to change." Amara said, undoing the ponytail she had placed her curly blonde hair in. Laura nodded and departed. Amara slipped out of her jeans and un-did her bra, dropping it to the floor. She kicked the clothes towards the hamper and exited the bathroom, turning off the light. Laura was under the blankets, already asleep. Amara smiled and crawled in next to her, pulling a book out and lighting her finger with just a warm glow to read by.

Amara joined Laura in sleep within the half-hour.  
-

"Is this about the bombing, Professor?" Cassandra Cassidy asked.

"Yes, and I'll explain more once everyone is here." Xavier replied.

"Where are Kitty and Piotr?" Amara asked.

"Here!" Kitty exclaimed, phasing through the floor, hand-in-hand with Piotr.

"What took you guys so long?" Amara asked.

Kitty grinned. "We were answering an e-mail from Piotr's sister Illyana in Russia. She's in Kiev studying-"

"That's very nice, Kitty." Charles replied. "But I'm afraid we have more pressing issues."

"Oh, yeah, sure." Kitty replied.

Charles nodded at Storm and she pulled an image of the Worthington Labs bombing up on-screen.

"Early Wednesday morning, someone detonated a bomb inside Worthington Labs, killing most every employee there. The United States government has stated the attack was Magneto's doing, without any evidence."

"But it was Magneto, wasn't it professor?" Amara asked.

"No," Lyla replied. "This attack suffers from a lack of a speech."

"Correct." Charles agreed.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Amara gestured at Lyla. "Ms. Sherlock Holmes."

Lyla did a flamboyant bow and smiled.

"So if it wasn't Magneto, then who?" Laura asked.

"That's what we're going to investigate." Charles replied. "But due to the magnitude of this attack, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers are pitching in to help with the investigation."

"The Avengers?!" Bobby exclaimed. "Awesome!"

"Sadly most of the Avengers are in Latveria dealing with an assassin."

Rogue snickered almost inaudibly.

"However, one remains in the States and she'll be helping hands-on in the investigation."

"She?" Bobby asked. "Is it Black Widow?"

"No, ice-dork!" Lorna replied, hitting him jokingly in the arm. "She rejoined S.H.I.E.L.D. Six months ago after the HYDRA incident!"

"Then who?"

"X-Men, please welcome the Avenger's newest member: Ms. Marvel!"

A path cleared from the Professor to the doorway. A woman walked in. She was tall, probably 5'10" and built beautifully. Her body curved in the perfect hour-glass shape. She had long, flowing blonde hair that was somewhere between curly and straight. Her eyes were covered by a slim, black domino mask, but Bobby could have sworn they were a crystalline blue.

Her costume was a black one-piece with a large yellow lightning bolt over her chest. She wore a red sash around her waist. Her forearm-length gloves had red highlights and the inside of her palm was red. Her thigh-high boots were black as well with red trim and yellow highlights. She walked with purpose and authority. Everyone simply stared as she walked up and stood next to Xavier.

"Rogue!" Amara called as the X-Men filed out of the Dark Room, leaving Xavier, Storm, and Ms. Marvel within.

"Yeah?" Rogue asked, turning to face Amara. The belle was dressed in a dark-green tee with a white long-sleeved shirt on underneath. She had on tight jeans and black combat boots. She had brown leather gloves on her hands and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

"Can I talk to you?" Amara asked. "Alone?"

Rogue nodded. "Sure..." Rogue wrapped a sleeved arm around Amara and led her to the empty kitchen. Rogue pulled out a chair for her and headed to the fridge, grabbing an orange-colored soda, popping the lid off with a hiss and taking a swallow. She sighed contentedly and wiped her mouth, sitting across from Amara.

"Last one."

The blonde was dressed in all white with brown boots, belt, and unbuttoned vest. Her hair curled around her shoulders. She stared at Rogue for a minute, trying to decide where to start.

"Spit it out." Rogue ordered after another portion of her drink disappeared.

"It's Laura." Amara spluttered.

Rogue, who had gone to take another sip from her drink, stopped and placed it down carefully on the table. It made an echoing 'clink' as heavy glass came into contact with dense wood.

"What about 'er?" Rogue asked.

"She's been having nightmares." Amara replied, eyeing Rogue's drink. Rogue's fingers seemed to tense up without moving.

"What kinda nightmares?" Rogue asked.

"Don't know." Amara replied, placing her hand casually on the table, glancing at Rogue's hand. "She'll only talk to you."

"How long have they been going on?" Rogue asked, not moving, but watching.

"Don't know for sure, but at least two weeks." Amara replied. A single drop of water slid down the bottle. Both girls watched it. "She cut me last night."

This took Rogue slightly off-guard and Amara considered making her move, but before she could decide, Rogue's attention was back. "She cut you?" she asked.

Amara nodded and pushed the sleeve of her shirt up, showing the bandaged cut. Coincidentally the wounded arm was the one on the table, poised to move for the drink. "Just talk to her, okay? She won't talk to anyone else."

Rogue nodded faintly, seeming to stare into the distance. Amara leapt, reaching for the orange soda, but before her hand had crossed half the distance, it was already at Rogue's lips. Rogue swallowed the entirety of the drink, let out a loud belch, and sighed contentedly.

"Ha ha!" she exclaimed triumphantly, throwing the bottle across the room and into the garbage can. With a more serious expression, she added "Yeah, I'll talk to her."  
-

Lorna sighed and wrinkled her nose as she exited the bathroom. Inspections of the Xavier Institute were pains in the asses, and they stunk, as Rogue would say, "t' high heav'n!"

Inspections were punishment for the X-Men, and someone was always in need of a punishment. For Lorna, she had been messing around with her powers and almost broken the X-Van in half. Rogue was livid she had to fix the car, but she was the only one other than Logan who knew how, and Logan was on a mission hunting down rogue HYDRA forces.

Lorna was almost done, thankfully. She had Cerebro, which no one was allowed in anyway without the Professor, the Infirmary, and the Dark Room. She sighed and pushed a strand of green hair out of her face, glancing at the hallway. Cerebro was at the end of the hallway, the Dark Room was past the Infirmary. She wasn't _supposed_ to inspect the Infirmary first, but what could it hurt?

Lorna was staring at the clipboard in her hand as she pushed the glass doors of the Infirmary open. Someone gasped inside and Lorna glanced up. Bobby was standing shirtless near one of the medical machines. He was facing her. He turned as quickly as he could, but Lorna saw something. The center of his chest was coated in ice, like he had stopped mid-way through transformation between flesh and ice. The circle was about a foot wide. Bobby turned quickly, tossing a shirt on. He seemed flushed and embarrassed. He darted towards the door as fast as he could, his eyes admiring the grout in the white tile floor. He muttered an "excuse me" and tried to brush past Lorna, but she blocked his way.

"Bobby!"

He glanced up at her, then looked off to the side.

"Bobby, are you okay?"

The Iceman ignored her, trying to push past. She stuck out her arm and blocked him.

"Move, Lorna." He ordered quietly.

Lorna had never heard him talk like that. It shocked her. He brushed past the green haired girl in the leather jacket and stalked off towards the elevator. Lorna stared after him in amazement.  
-

"Not, that I'm not glad to see you," Storm greeted, picking up the couple's bags at the front door of the Xavier Institute. "But what are you two doing here? You're supposed to be in the Bahamas for another month!"

"We saw the news report and came back." Scott replied, his red sunglasses gleaming in the sunlight.

"Which one?" Storm asked.

"The one about Worthington Labs." Jean replied. "What else did we miss?"

Storm nodded slowly. "Inside. This is going to be…difficult for you to hear."  
-

"So, let me get this straight:" Scott said. "Worthington Labs was developing a way to "cure" mutants, so Magneto went all kamikaze on them and blew up the office room, took over the island of Genosha and claimed it for mutant-kind, and Kelly reactivated the Sentinels. Then Tuesday, Worthington Labs blows up."

"That's not even the worst of it." Storm said.

Charles shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "Charles? What is it?"

"I'm afraid that Magneto's influence has had a grip on one of our own." Charles said, his hands folded underneath his chin. "It seems that one of the X-Men has been sending communications to Magneto."

"What, like a spy?" Scott asked.

Charles nodded. At the same time, Storm said: "Traitor."

"Storm—"

"I bet it's Rogue." Scott said.

"Scott!" Jean exclaimed, placing a hand on Scott's thigh.

"Well think about it! She's a former spy! No one can get close to her, she can steal memories from people without them knowing! She'd be perfect for Magneto to spy on. Besides, she and he were lovers once."

"Scott!" Charles exclaimed.

"What? Oh please, everyone knew! At least the older ones. Why do you think we treated Erik differently?"

Charles sighed. "Either way we've hit a dead end. I performed psychological evaluations on every member of the X-Men. Whoever this…spy is, they're very good, no one popped up the remotest chance of being a spy for Magneto." Charles was avoiding the word "traitor" as best he could, but everyone else was already thinking it.

"The news said Magneto bombed Worthington Labs." Jean said.

"Not true," a new voice came. Ms. Marvel walked in and glanced at Charles. "Charles, S.H.I.E.L.D. sent case notes about the bombing site over. We're ready to go over them."  
-

"I'm not seeing anything." Ms. Marvel finally sighed, tossing the packet of papers onto the table and leaning back in her chair, popping her joints.

"Yeah, same here." Jean replied, tossing a packet of papers on the table as well. Scott and Charles analyzed theirs for a minute more before joining Jean and Marvel in failure.

"Yo! Jean! Catch!" Rogue exclaimed, tossing a several cans of soda at the red-head. Jean let out a noise of surprise and caught all of the cans with her mind.

"Rogue!" she exclaimed, moving the sodas to each person's spot at the table. She wanted to scold the Southerner, but decided against it, settling for: "Shouldn't you be helping?"

"Already read all of 'em. Didn't see anything."

"When the hell did you get a chance to read them?" Scott demanded.

"Who the hell do you think gave 'em to Marvel?" Rogue asked, popping a brown bottle open and taking a gulp.

"Is that beer?" Marvel demanded.

"Ah, don't go all self-righteous on me." Rogue responded.

"I wasn't. I just was wondering why you get beer and we get sodas."

"Because that's Rogue's personal stash. We don't keep alcoholic drinks on-campus…" Charles said, directing a purposeful gaze at Rogue. "At least, we're not supposed to."

"Relax, I ain't handin' em out." Rogue replied.

Charles sighed and rolled his eyes.

"So did you find anything, Rogue?" Scott asked, popping his soda can open with a "spizz".

"Yep," Rogue responded.

"Then why were we going over them?" Scott demanded.

"'cause, it's better t' have multiple people lookin' over it, in case someone missed som'n'." Rogue replied. "I tell ya I got somethin', y'all wouldn't have looked near as hard."

Scott placed his hand on the paper roughly, sighing and looking into the distance.

"'sides, it's nice to see y'all sweatin'." Rogue grinned, taking another guzzle from her beer before setting it on the table with a 'clink'.

"So, don't keep us in suspense, what did you find?" Ms. Marvel asked. She had changed from her costume to civilian clothes. Secret Identities were common-knowledge between the X-Men and the Avengers. The blonde had let her hair down and was wearing jeans and a yellow shirt with a black leather jacket. Her real name was Carol Danvers. She had been a former Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. until an experiment went faulty and sent her to the home planet of the Kree. She came back with flight, super-powers, and extensive knowledge of the universe as well as near invulnerability.

"Bomb went off in what Worthin'ton called the "Safe Room". It's impenetrable."

"Well if it's impenetrable, how'd the bomb get in there? Inside job?" Scott asked.

"Titanic's unsinkable." Rogue responded dryly.

"So someone breached it." Jean asked.

"That's the strange thing. The doors were triple-reinforced. Worthin'ton spent a fortune on that safe-room. It's where he kept all his most secret projects, includin' the cure. There were seven doors to get in or outta the Safe Room. All seven were titanium reinforced with traces of vibranium and adamantium."

Low whistles. Both alloys were extremely rare, a quarter of a pound costing in the hundreds of millions for vibranium, and adamantium was nearly unmanipulatable.

"Pretty observant for a street-kid who was blackmailed into being a spy." Carol said, glancing at Rogue suspiciously.

"They don't just pick up the first homeless guy on the streets they see." Rogue responded.

Carol nodded, but continued watching her carefully.

"Here's the strange part: all the doors are gone."

"Gone?" Carol asked. "Like someone stole them?"

"Gone as in turned into dust." Rogue replied.

Eyes widened around the table. "Gone? What can do that?"

"Well I's hopin' you could answer that, Carol." Rogue replied.

Carol tilted her head, thinking. After a minute or so, she finally sighed. "Sorry, there's a few, but none that I can think would have a bone to pick with Worthington."

"Well perhaps it's time we took a closer look." Rogue said. "Field trip anyone?"

"What? Go to the crime scene?" Jean asked.

"Not embarrassed t' go in public, are we Jean?" Rogue teased.

"No! I don't see the point of it."

"Blast residue." Marvel read. "S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't gotten that far yet."

"And who doesn't want t' be smarter'n S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Rogue asked.

"Well I'm still not going." Jean humphed.

"Fine. Marvel, Charles and I'll go, but we need a forensic person. Like a C.I."

"What about those two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents you took in back earlier this year, Charles?" Marvel asked. "Jubilee and Sunspot?"

"Sunspot, no," Rogue responded. "Jubes, yeah. But I've gotta warn ya. She's a little—"

"Doesn't matter so long as she does her job." Marvel said.  
-

"It's been a while." Jubilee warned as the Hellier Jet touched down in the street. "I might miss some stuff."

"Just do your best." Rogue replied, checking her phone and glancing nervously at Charles, who shook his head.

The boarding ramp lowered and the Avenger and X-Men departed. News cameras were flashing, and gravitated towards the new arrivals.

"This is so cool!" Jubilee whispered to Rogue. "I'm working with a fucking _Avenger_! How sick is that?"

Rogue could remember fighting the Avengers many times before, but kept quiet, replying with: "Pretty cool."

The four ignored the media and proceeded inside the ruins of Worthington Labs while S.H.I.E.L.D. and NYPD forces kept the bystanders back. Jubilee tripped and almost tumbled, had Rogue not caught the back of her trench-coat.

"Thanks," Jubilee gasped, straightening herself and her clothes. The Asian had a soft, round face. She kept her hair medium length and spiky. She preferred wearing a yellow trench-coat and a navy blue skin-tight suit with pink highlights. From what Rogue had read, she was a Californian native. Her parents disowned her after she went full-length "American" on them. She was recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D. much the same way Rogue was…

"Here," Marvel called. "This is where the bomb went off!"

"Y'think?" Rogue muttered.

The room was gone. Whatever had been in here, _whoever_, they were gone, less than dust now. Jubilee breathed in sharply.

"Holy shit."

"Can you collect anything?" Marvel asked.

"I can try. Rogue, help me." Jubilee responded, falling roughly to her knees and opening up her bag. Rogue squatted next to her.

"Charles, can I talk to you alone for a moment?" Marvel asked, pulling the wheel-chair bound man to the side. Rogue glanced at them, but returned to her work.

"Yes, Carol?" Charles asked.

"Fury told me about your mole problem." Carol said, getting straight to the point.

"Yes? What about it?" Charles asked.

"I think it's Rogue." Carol whispered.

Charles almost smiled.

"What?"

"Everyone keeps thinking it's Rogue." Charles responded. "I trust Rogue with my life, Carol, even more, I trust her with the lives of every member of the X-Men."

"Doesn't mean you aren't wrong. Look what happened with Erik." Carol responded.

"To prevent more salt from entering that wound," Charles said coldly. "I knew Erik all along, I just never wanted to admit it to myself. Rogue is different. Trust me, Carol."

"Found something!" Jubilee exclaimed. "Come look at this!"

Marvel and Charles rolled over to the crime scene where Jubilee was holding a canister. It was about the size of a soda can and was green with a strange yellow marking on it, like a bird.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. just finished analyzing the blast residue. I scanned the residue on the inside of this canister and it matches. Somehow, miraculously, this is a piece of the bomb, one we can trace." Jubilee grinned, showing all of her teeth.

Marvel took the canister and looked at it. The moment it touched her gloved hand, however, she shouted something in an alien language and dropped it, clenching her fingers like they had been burned.

"What?" Charles demanded.

"Not-Not here." Ms. Marvel stuttered out. "Back at the Mansion. I know who bombed this building."  
-

-  
**Here's an exclusive look at next week's episode of **_**Bishop**_**!**  
**-**

Chasing Spiderman

**This is the first of a special two-part game-changer! Keep an eye out for the next episode of **_**X-Men: Standing Guard**_**!**  
**-**  
**The room Laura shared with Amara looked like one belonging to a person with dual personality disorder. On one half of the room was a luxurious set of furniture with soft, white fabric and rich, dark wood. The wall was covered in posters, the office space was messy and the laptop sitting there was covered in stickers and marker doodles. **

On the other side of the room, there was hardly anything, the bare floors of the Xavier Institute and a simple wooden bed with white sheets sat on the floor. A single bookcase and night-stand sat near the bed. The workspace was a simple birch wood. Papers were arranged neatly on the desk, books stacked and shelved carefully. There were only two splashes of color on this side of the room. The first was a red quilt Rogue had given Laura for her most recent "birth-day". It was red, with triangles of various fabrics and colors creating a hypnotizing pattern. The second was the giant purple teddy bear Jullian had won for her last week.

While the room may look like two totally separate people lived here, the two occupants couldn't be closer friends. Amara and Laura had instantly bonded and remained strong friends. Amara wasn't in the room right now, she was out in the yard playing hide-and-seek mutant style with some others. Laura was in her room, however. She was lying on her bed, the cheap cell-phone she had bought in her hands. She had been texting Jullian ever since she had gotten back from school. The two had been making (very) small chat up until a few minutes ago, when Jullian had mentioned a movie. Laura was just replying that she was free Friday afternoon when someone rapped on her door.

"Who is it?" Laura asked, stuffing her phone into her jeans pocket. She grabbed _The Odyssey_, sitting on the bed next to her and pretended to be reading it.

"Rogue." The smooth voice came.

"The door is unlocked." Laura replied. She was trying desperately to change her perfect grammar to more "contemporary" grammar.

Rogue walked in and glanced at the clone. "Yo're awful dressed up."

"I have just returned from school."

Rogue nodded, remembering that fact. "I just didn' know ya wore makeup."

"I am not wearing make-up!" Laura replied, perhaps a little too strongly. Rogue reached up and ran a finger across Laura's cheek. She showed the residual dust to Laura.

"That's Amara's makeup. She ain't gonna be happy." Rogue smirked. "Speakin' o' which…"

"She told you?" Laura asked.

Rogue nodded, curling her bottom lip inwards.

"I informed her I would talk about it with you at a later date."

"We don't have that time, X." Rogue replied, placing her hand on the calf of the clone. She realized what she had said and blinked for a moment. She was hiding something…

"What—" Laura started, but Rogue cut her off.

"What're the dreams about?" she asked.

Laura took a deep breath and sighed, closing the book. Rogue glanced at it out of the corner of her eye. Laura hadn't really been reading that book…

"My training at HYDRA." She whispered. "At first it was just the learning…this is a sun, this is a moon…this is an AK-47…"

Rogue nodded, indicating the clone should go on.

"Then it became fighting simulations, then fear control, then stealth tactics, eventually I will remember my assassinations, all of them."

"Yo're memories are comin' back?" Rogue asked. Now she was _very_ concerned.

Laura nodded. "Only recently I started ejecting my claws in my sleep, then I cut Amara…" The clone glanced up at Rogue, blinking back tears in her shimmering brown eyes. "What if I revert to my old assassin ways and begin executing students? What if it begins to happen in school?"

Rogue moved closer and placed her hand on Laura's thigh, opening her mouth to say something, but stopping. The Belle rubbed her thumb against Laura's thigh for a moment, thinking.

"McKenna…her pow'rs…"

"I am aware of her ability to "lock away" memories and return them at will." Laura replied. "I am not comfortable with her, though."

"I could do it if you want." Rogue whispered.

"No," Laura replied. "It is useless. They will resurface again and again. There is no way to permanently erase memories. It is like in a comic-book, there is no way for a character to die."

"Funny comparison." Rogue muttered. "Laura, I want you t' promise me that you'll talk to the Profess'r 'bout this."

"I can not. I do not trust him—"

"You have to." Rogue replied. "Laura, a man once told me that it's different t' trust som'n with yo'r life an' yo'r secrets. Very few people can be entrusted wi' both. The Prof is one of those people. Trust him."

Laura stared at Rogue. "Do you?"

"I don't trust anyone with all my secrets, but look where that's gotten me." Rogue smiled sadly. She looked around and placed a hand on Laura's shoulder. "Laura, somethin's comin'. I ain't gonna be here forever. I need you t' trust these people. They're yo'r friends."

Laura nodded. Then she stopped and stared at Rogue strangely. "What—"

Rogue leaned over and kissed Laura on the forehead gently, taking several seconds to pull off. She stood up and headed for the door. She stopped and turned around with a grin. "'sides, I ain't tellin' ya to talk about ya boyfriend."

Laura's eyes widened. For the first time in quite a while, the clone was speechless. "What—How—"

Rogue smirked, tossed a roll of dollar bills on the bed, and left the room, her jacket whirling behind her.

Laura stared at the door before smiling and tucking the money into her back pocket.  
-

"Agent Rogue, I am not accustomed to you contacting me in the middle of the day."

"This is an emergency, Director." Rogue whispered, double-checking all of the locks on her doors and windows.

Fury was silent.

"X-23's regaining memories of her time at HYDRA." Rogue said, holding the small communicator in her hand.

"We can't allow this." Fury said. "I placed you near her, Agent Rogue, because—"

"I know damn well why ya placed me here." Rogue replied. "I offered McKenna to do it, she said no. I offered t' do it, but she turned that down too. If I force the memories out of her, she'll never forgive me."

"Then remove those memories as well." Fury ordered.

"I can't! That's not how the power works! She'll recognize those memories are gone immediately. The HYDRA memories, it'll be exactly the same because those memories are just dreams to her."

The two spies stood in silence.

"What about lettin' her know everything?" Rogue asked.

"Damn it, Agent Rogue, what is it with you and bringing people into the fold recently? You're not marching off to death!" Fury exclaimed. "Besides, do you think she'd forgive you if she found out the truth?"

"I'm just sayin' that maybe—"

"Maybe nothing, Agent Rogue. Fix her memories."

"What do you know about this?" Rogue demanded. "I'm the one who's spent the past _two years_ of my life with her. I know what is best for her!"

"I ripped you from worse than nothing, and made you something. I can put you right back where I found you! Erase her memories and do it soon!" Fury shouted. The communication shut off. Rogue cursed and smashed the communicator with her boot.

"Worthless son of a bitch."  
-

"Sorry, had t' take care of somethin' real quick." Rogue said, walking into the main room. She was still irritable, but not to the same degree. She was very good at hiding her true emotions. "What about the bomb?"

"It's M'kraan." Ms. Marvel said, her head in her hand.

"McRain?" Rogue asked.

"M'kraan." Ms. Marvel corrected. "They were a dangerous alien race that invented life forms."

"Invented life forms?" Rogue snorted. "That's impossible."

"Well they did." Marvel replied. "One of the creatures they created was the Dark Phoenix Force."

"The what?" Rogue asked.

"The Dark Phoenix Force." Marvel repeated. "A cosmic entity that requires a host to exercise its power. It has the ability to turn anything, organic or inorganic, to cosmic dust, a substance less than the atom. It also has extreme telepathy and telekinesis powers."

Rogue glanced at Jean.

"I know you don't like me, Rogue," Jean said. "But I am not a cosmic entity. Besides, I don't turn people to dust."

"It appears in the image of a flaming Phoenix most often."

"Guess what was on the security cameras right before they fried?" Scott asked.

"Flame."

"Burnt the guards…to cosmic dust." Marvel whispered. "After 30,000 years, the Phoenix is here on Earth and wreaking havoc. Why is it targeting Worthington Labs though?"

"Maybe it realizes Worthington is a worthless little moth—"

"Rogue!"

Rogue shut her mouth.

"I have no idea." Marvel replied.  
-

Bobby had a room to himself. He had been bunking with one of the mutants who had left with Magneto. The Professor had found it useless to attempt to give students shared rooms again, so he had left those people like Bobby in rooms of their own.

Bobby was sitting in the dark. His room was messy. Clothes scattered on the floor and posters drooping on the wall. A soft knocking came at his door. Bobby was in shorts, sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the ice on his chest. He pulled a shirt on tiredly and walked over, opening the door.

Lorna was there, her green hair pulled back behind her, a tight tee and loose pants were her only clothing articles. Bobby was used to seeing Lorna more dressed up, so her outfit took him by surprise. Normally Bobby would be happy to see a beautiful girl in her pajamas at his door in the middle of the night, but Bobby knew why Lorna was there. He didn't want to talk about it.

"Go away, Lorna." Bobby sighed.

"Just let me talk to you." Lorna pleaded. "Please?"

Bobby closed his eyes, weighing the options in his mind before sighing, moving aside, and gesturing for her to come inside. Lorna entered, looking around the room. The only illumination in the room came from the full moon outside, shining through the uncovered windows.

"Sit down." Bobby sighed again, gesturing at a chair. Lorna sat on his bed, folding her hands in her lap. Bobby glanced at her, and sat next to her.

There was complete silence for about two minutes before Lorna finally spoke.

"Can-Can I see it?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

Bobby looked at her, closed his eyes, and removed his shirt. Up close, Lorna could tell the ice was not from his natural transformation. What looked like shelves of ice that had been scrunched against each other, much like the tectonic plates in an earthquake form mountains, created a rim in the center of the circle of ice. Lorna breathed gently, reaching over and lightly touching it. She jerked her hand away. It was cold. She slowly and carefully placed her hand on the ice, pressing her hot palm against it. It was cool, soothing.

"When did it start?" she asked.

"About six months ago." Bobby replied. "A few weeks after the Sentinel War."

Lorna stared at it, then him.

"It was only the size of a bullet-hole at first." Bobby whispered sorrowfully, glancing at Lorna's hand and the ice on his chest. "Then it grew, slowly but surely. I got worried, but I didn't want to talk to anybody about it, so I tried to figure it out myself."

Bobby took a deep breath. "I-I remember being shot, in the heart, during Days of Future Past. I just sprayed ice over it and went on. During the second wave of Sentinels, one caught me. That was the last I remember." Bobby looked at Lorna with tears in his eyes. "I don't want to die again." He whispered.

"Shh." Lorna replied, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close to her. "You're not going anywhere Bobby Drake." She mumbled into his shoulder.

Bobby held back his tears and sobs. He took a deep, shaky breath and pulled away from Lorna, wiping the tears that had leaked from his crystal blue eyes, creating salt-water trails down his cheeks.

"Why do you care so much?" Bobby asked. "Why aren't you freaked out?"

Lorna looked at him for a moment, studying him, her emerald eyes searching his for answers. She leaned over and pressed her soft lips against his. She kissed him. Bobby hadn't been expecting this, and couldn't respond in time. Lorna pulled away and looked at him, running a finger through her hair.

"Because you mean a lot to me." She whispered.

Bobby stared at her. Lorna always seemed so withdrawn and quiet. He had never expected her to kiss him. Bobby tried to think things through, tried to rationalize things. Then his passion got the better of him. Bobby grabbed Lorna's face and brought it to his, kissing her, cupping her cheeks with both hands. Lorna gasped and adjusted quickly, wrapping her arms around Bobby's neck and kissing him in return. They sat like that for a minute, then Lorna hauled herself onto Bobby's lap and ran her hands over his chest. Bobby placed his hands on her hips and Lorna slid her tongue into Bobby's mouth.

Bobby was a bit of a player. He had slept with quite a few girls in his time, but Lorna seemed to make him jolt. She provided a spark to him, one he sorely needed. He slipped his hands up her back and felt no bra strap. That didn't seem to register for more than a fifth of a second with him. He ran his hands over her smooth skin. She grinned and tightened her grip in his hair, her tongue tasting him. Bobby pushed the hem of her shirt up, his hands reaching her plump breasts and stopping. Lorna broke the kiss and allowed him to pull the white shirt over her head, leaving her as bare-chested as he was.

Bobby stared at her. He had never seen Lorna naked before, or anywhere near it for that matter. She had never even worn a swimsuit to the swimming pool. Bobby took a little bit of time to cement this image of her in his mind before he grabbed the mounds of flesh with both hands and clenched, kneading them like balls of dough. Lorna moaned softly, the sound almost inaudible. Bobby placed his warm mouth on the right one, kneading the left one still with his hand, and sucking. Lorna let out a slightly louder moan. Bobby found her tit and sucked on it, biting down gently with his teeth. Lorna gasped and let her head fall back.

Bobby's second hand had slid into Lorna's pants and was running over her butt. He slipped his hand around front, but Lorna caught it with hers and grinned. Bobby let go of her breasts with his mouth and she twisted her hips sharply. Bobby groaned. She could feel him beneath her and grinned, letting out a soft moan as she twisted again. Slowly she began to gyrate, her hips grinding against him. He placed his hands on her hips, feeling them move. The two kissed once more, united in passion. Lorna hiked up against him once, then twice, over and over until Bobby was panting into her mouth. She grinned and ran her tongue along the inside of his mouth before pushing him down onto the bed and breaking away. Bobby watched as she dropped her pants to the ground, leaving her in a pair of hot-pink panties. She crawled onto the bed and stopped, her face level with his crotch.

Bobby watched as Lorna peeled away the remainder of his clothes and tossed them on the floor. She pushed her long green hair down in front of her face, creating an impenetrable curtain to block Bobby's view. She moved her head down and Bobby gasped, reaching for her, but finding the sheets of his bed instead. He clenched them tightly as Lorna's head began to bob up and down. Bobby groaned. Softly at first, then louder and louder until he was scared someone would hear them. Lorna made soft slurping sounds, squelches coming when her hand disappeared behind her hair. Bobby gasped and groaned and Lorna's head finally came up. She grinned and pressed her lips against his once again. Bobby could taste the mixture of their skin on Lorna's lips. He ran his tongue along it, grabbing her hair and pushing her face into his, melding her features with his. Lorna grinned.

Bobby pushed her panties over her ass and then slid them the rest of the way off with his feet, leaving both naked on his bed. Bobby pulled back, bringing Lorna with him until his head rested against the back of his headboard. Lorna slid her groin against his and hissed at the contact, sitting up. Her green hair fell over her breasts and her face. It was messy and made her look kind of slutty in Bobby's opinion, but very, very hot.

"Condom?" she gasped.

Bobby was kind of ashamed to admit it, but he pulled one out of his nightstand. Lorna broke it open and disappeared behind that hair of curtain again for a moment. Bobby gasped, shaking slightly. Lorna grinned and placed her hips against his once more. She pecked him once on the lips and reached a hand down there. She hauled herself up, then slowly slid down. Both gasped and sighed, moaning softly as they connected. For a moment, they lay like that, melded together. Then Lorna raised herself up, and lowered herself back down, both gasping again.

It didn't take them long to get a rhythm going, Lorna moving up and down on Bobby, their hips coming in contact every so often when Lorna pressed down especially hard. Bobby could do nothing but watch and relish in pleasure as Lorna rode him. He groaned and grabbed one of her swaying breasts with his hand, clenching it. Lorna moaned, ran a hand through her hair to make it extra messy, and closed her eyes, relishing in the pleasure as well.

A rush of pleasure rocked Bobby's body and he saw his opportunity. Grabbing Lorna, and with a squeal, he flipped them so she was lying on her back on his bed and he was on top, thrusting into her. Lorna moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for an embrace and French kiss as the two of them continued to thrust and push, moaning. Lorna wrapped her legs around Bobby's ass and gasped as his lips moved down her jawline and onto her neck.

"Hickies." She warned.

Bobby adjusted, making sure not to leave marks. She could feel his teeth grinding up against her skin. She was close, so was he. They continued moving in a faster and faster rhythm until finally Bobby gasped, climaxing first. He leaned his head back and gasped, closing his eyes. He continued to rock into Lorna until he felt her body tighten and shudder. She let out a loud moan and climaxed as well. After the last of the aftershocks rocked over them, Bobby pulled out of Lorna and collapsed next to her, gasping for breath. A used condom fell to the floor.

Neither said anything. Bobby grabbed one of the blankets and pulled it over them. Lorna turned and placed her head on Bobby's chest, near his shoulder so she wasn't on the ice, and closed her eyes, smiling contentedly. Both drifted off to sleep.  
-

When Lorna woke up in the morning, she couldn't see. She hadn't slept that hard in some time. The light shining in from the windows blinded her, and she covered her face with her hand until her eyes adjusted to the light a minute later. She was still in Bobby's bed, still naked, and still relishing in what had happened the night before. She sat up, her green hair falling askew around her and clutching the sheets to her chest. She looked around for Bobby, but only found clothes. She was starting to wonder if he had darted when she heard the shower. She stood up, glanced cautiously at the window, then dropped the sheets, relaxing into the heat of the sun's light for a moment before entering the bathroom.

Bobby was in the shower, water rushing over him. He glanced at her and smiled. She walked into the shower and was surprised to find the stream ice-cold. She shuddered, adjusting herself to the temperature, then leaned up and kissed him. At first it was just a kiss, then it grew to be more. Soon they were groping each other again.

"School." Bobby gasped out, breaking the trail Lorna's hand was making.

"You sure that's where you want to go?" she asked.

"People will get suspicious." Bobby replied, gasping as Lorna's mouth placed kisses on his chin, feeling the hair from his recent lack of shaving.

"Don't we want them to?" Lorna asked.

"You don't want to keep it a secret?" Bobby asked, looking at her.

Lorna's hand wrapped around something and Bobby gasped.

"Nope. What about you?" Lorna twisted her hand sharply and Bobby stuttered something that sounded like a no. Lorna grinned and sunk to her knees, sending warmth throughout the Iceman's body, even though cold water rushed down on them. She stood up, Bobby's knees shaky, and wiped her mouth.

"Lather me up, then we've got to go to school." Lorna turned and pressed her body against Bobby's letting the cold water wash over her.  
-

"A skirt?" Laura asked, twirling and looking at the red-black piece of fabric hanging from her waist. "It exposes much skin and is less than favorable for battle."

"Well hopefully you don't get into any of that durin' yo'r first date." Rogue replied, standing off to the side and watching Laura twirl.

"Do you mind if I stop? I am getting dizzy." Laura replied.

"Oh, yo'r only supposed to do it once." Rogue replied. "You can stop."

Laura stood rather awkwardly. "How do I look?"

Laura had allowed Rogue to dress her this one time in order to impress Jullian when they went to the movies tonight. Rogue had handed her a pair of knee-high black leather boots, with solid heels so Laura could still fight, something she insisted on. Rogue had fiddled with a few outfits before settling on a red mini-skirt with black speckles on it and a black button-up shirt that seemed to be molded to fit the clone's torso perfectly. Rogue had insisted Laura curl her hair, but Laura had refused. The most she had ever done with her hair was brush it after getting out of the shower and a haircut every three months.

Rogue looked her over. "Pop a button."

Laura undid the first button.

"Pop another."

Laura undid the second button. A small amount of cleavage was now visible.

"One more." Rogue gestured, her chin resting gently on her hand.

"Should I take off my bra as well?" Laura asked, popping the third button.

"Up t' you." Rogue replied.

Laura rolled her eyes.

"Oh, you were bein' smart. No. I wouldn't. That should be good."

Laura was wearing a black tank-top beneath her shirt, so not nearly as much cleavage was showing as would had she not been wearing the second top.

"You look good." Rogue smiled. Laura could see the tears welling in her eyes and hear her voice crack with emotion. Laura hugged Rogue and Rogue choked on a sob, kissing the crown of Laura's head.

Neither had to say a word, they just embraced each other for a moment, then Rogue broke apart from her.

"Don' wrinkle your clothes." She said gently.

"Do not cry, Rogue." Laura smiled. "I will be fine."

"I know." Rogue replied. "You'll be better'n fine. You go out there an' kick ass. Remember that I love you, no matter what happens."

Laura looked at her strangely. Rogue kissed her gently on the forehead and shoved her out the door. As soon as it was closed, Rogue walked over to the clone's bed and placed something under her pillow. She pulled out her phone and dialed an unknown number, biting back tears.

"It's done."  
-

Five o'clock traffic clogged the Golden Gate Bridge. Cars filled the bridge, creating little to no room for any movement. One family on vacation to California sat in their car. The father was in the driver's seat, tapping his finger impatiently against the steering wheel. The mother was sitting, annoyed, in the passenger seat. The brother and sister in the backseat were arguing with each other tugging at the iPad between their hands.

Some one slammed into the family's car from behind.

"Oh great." The father groaned. He went to open his door when he realized that he was against the inside guard rail. He glanced out his mirror when the car was hit again, shoving them towards the edge of the bridge.

"What the hell?"

"Honey…" the wife gestured, staring up into the sunlight.

Magneto and his mutant army descended upon the bridge.

"You blame an attack on me without any evidence?" he demanded. "Let me show you what the casualty numbers look like when I attack!"

Magneto raised his arms, levitating the cars with him.  
-

"What's his condition, doctor?" Worthington asked, rubbing his gloves between his hands.

"Well, Mr. Worthington, that's complicated." The young doctor said, glancing at his clipboard. "Mr. Essex has severe burns, extensive scar tissue all over his body, and is going to require dozens of plastic surgeries to repair the damage to his body. He may have to learn to walk again."

"That doesn't seem so complicated." Worthington replied. "I need my main man back, how long should the operations take?"

"That's not the complicated part, Mr. Worthington. It turns out your lead scientist on the mutant cure…is a mutant himself."

"What?" Worthington asked, shocked.

"His X-Gene was recently activated, probably in the blast. He's in a coma right now, and once he awakens and his surgery is complete, we'll have to take him to S.H.I.E.L.D."

Worthington wasn't listening anymore. The doctor droned on while Worthington thought. Finally he turned and faced the doctor.

"He's in a coma, isn't he?"

"Yes, sir."

"You need authorization from the closest family member to take him off of life support?"

"Yes, sir, but you're not family."

"He doesn't have any." Worthington replied. "If this will ease your conscious…" Worthington handed the man a few thousand dollar bills. "I believe that is more than enough to flip a switch."

"_He's worthless to me."_

Essex's hand clenched into a fist.  
-

"_S.H.I.E.L.D. has evacuated the bridge. You should have a clear playground on this one. We're holding back until you need us."_

"Thank you, Director Fury." Charles replied. The Blackbird descended, hovered, and finally settled on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Ms. Marvel, Professor X, Rogue, Shadowcat, Jubilee, and for the first time, Angel disembarked from the Blackbird. The winged mutant was wearing a red and white body-suit with a cowl covering the top half of his face. His large, white wings protruded from his back and allowed quick and easy flight.

"Charles!" Magneto shouted, levitating in the middle of the bridge. "You can't possibly believe that I attacked Worthington Labs!"

"I know you didn't, old friend. Come down and let us talk about it."

Erik glanced at Charles carefully, but apparently did not suspect a trap, because he lowered himself onto the pavement, his red cape fluttering behind him in the strong California wind. Havok, Blink, Spyke, and Mystique stood behind him. The mutants were evenly matched should a battle break out, with the exception of Ms. Marvel, who stood to the side, watching Magneto's moves carefully.

"How can you be so sure I didn't attack Worthington?" Erik asked curiously.

"We know who did attack Worthington. It is a cosmic entity known as the Dark Phoenix Force. It inhabits a human host. We don't know why it's here or why it attacked Worthington, but we're working to figure it out."

Erik nodded. "Why not go to the press with this information."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. and Avengers classified data." Ms. Marvel spoke up.

"Besides, how would "A giant space bird in someone's body attacked Worthington, but we don't know who it is, why they're here, and why they attacked Worthington." Sound to the general public?" Kitty demanded.

Charles glanced at Erik. Rogue blinked and slowly slid her gloves off, one hand at a time.

"Work with us, Erik, prove we're right and you are innocent, then we can work together."

"How?" Erik asked.

"We start with what we have—" Charles started, but was interrupted.

"You mean these files?" Rogue asked, waving a thumbdrive around.

"Rogue!" Charles exclaimed. "What are you—"

"Sorry Prof, I'm sick of being treated this way. Taken enough crap off uh everyone else." Rogue grabbed the Professor's bald head and left him asleep in his chair. Rogue stumbled for a moment. She wasn't used to using only one aspect of her powers.

"Rogue! What are you doing?" Kitty shouted.

"She's the traitor!" Jubilee exclaimed.

The X-Men leapt at Rogue, but her superior age and training allowed her to dodge Kitty's leap and catch Jubilee's kick. Rogue twirled, vaulting over the Californian and kicking Kitty in the stomach. Rogue placed a pale hand on the brunette's face and let her fall to the pavement as well. Both Angel and Ms. Marvel were gaining air, swooping down on Rogue from above. She hoisted Jubilee in the air, knocking Angel out of the sky. She ran over to him, punched him in the face, kneed him in the stomach, and knocked him out with a clubbing to the base of his skull. He collapsed. Ms. Marvel swung at Rogue and Jubilee leapt, hissing. Rogue ducked and side-stepped, kicking her leg out at the last moment, tripping Jubilee. She grabbed the dark-haired girl's neck and left her on the pavement as well.

Ms. Marvel landed between Rogue, who had worked her way back to the Blackbird, and Magneto, who was watching with as much shock as the rest.

"They trusted you, Rogue!" Ms. Marvel shouted. "And you betray them like that?"

"You shore you wanna do this, blondie?" Rogue asked, pushing the sleeves of her uniform up to allow more skin to skin contact.

Ms. Marvel cracked her knuckles.

"Fine." Rogue replied.

The two charged at each other, Ms. Marvel swinging. Rogue slid between her legs and placed a firm kick to the base of her spine. Ms. Marvel stumbled and caught Rogue's punch. Rogue intertwined her leg with Ms. Marvel's and twisted, causing the blonde to fall down. Rogue slammed her foot down at Ms. Marvel's stomach, but the Avenger rolled to the side and stood up, swinging again. Rogue dodged her punches, caught some, and ducked others.

Rogue flipped backwards, grabbed a suspension cord, and launched herself at Marvel. Ms. Marvel caught the belle in mid-air and head-butted her. Rogue stumbled back, clutching her head. _That_ was not what she was expecting. She glanced up and nearly lost her head to a blow from the Avenger. Rogue punched Ms. Marvel in the stomach over and over, making her double over. The blonde may be invulnerable, but she could still feel Rogue's powerful punches. Rogue wrapped her arm around the Avenger's neck and flipped her over onto her back, the Belle placing her boot at Ms. Marvel's throat.

"It's over!"

"Like hell." Marvel replied, grabbing Rogue's leg and throwing her to the ground. Both girls made it back to their feet, circling each other. When Marvel's back was to the edge of the bridge, Rogue rushed her. Marvel swung. Rogue ducked, planting her head in the Avenger's stomach and nailing her against the wall of the bridge. She slammed her into the bridge over and over, until Marvel clubbed Rogue's head and turned the tables, placing Rogue against the wall of the bridge.

The X-Men were starting to wake up with groans and moans. Rogue was taking too long. Ms. Marvel went to headbutt her, and Rogue caught her face with her two bare hands, draining her. Something was wrong. Rogue was only supposed to knock them out, but she could feel Ms. Marvel's power leeching into her, she could feel her memories flooding her brain. Secret codes, secret identities, locations of various weapons and prisons, Rogue could see it all in her mind.

Something else was wrong. Rogue couldn't let go. She tried pulling away, but she was pinned against the bridge. She continued draining Ms. Marvel. She had Kree powers, and was taking much longer to drain than anyone else Rogue had ever touched, but even she was nearing her limit. Rogue heard her gasp and finally stumble away. Rogue gasped and fell to her knees, all of her powers and memories flooding into her mind.

'_Damn it!'_ she thought, slapping the concrete. It cracked beneath her and she remembered Marvel's super-strength.

The Avenger stumbled against the railing and fell. Rogue darted to the edge of the bridge and watched as she fell. She could do nothing now, Marvel was left to her own means.

Something flew past Rogue. It was Angel, diving towards the river.

"Let's get the hell outta here." Rogue shouted, running towards Magneto. The Master of Magnetism smiled and led her into the purple portal, then they all disappeared in a blink.  
-

The front doors of the hospital blew off. Nathaniel Essex levitated a few inches off of the sidewalk. His pale skin and exposed muscle screamed in agony from the sun. Essex grinned through the pain.

"Power!" he shouted. "Unlimited…_POWER!"_  
-

-  
**X-Men: Standing Guard Will Return Shortly**  
-


	11. S2E03 The Plot Thickens Epilogue

It was almost eight o' clock by the time Laura and Jullian left the movie theater. The sky was dark and street-lights up and down the street illuminated the sidewalk in white circles. Laura felt a need to shiver, with her legs exposed to the cold air. She resisted the urge and glanced at Jullian, who seemed very cold. It was obvious he hadn't been nearly drowned in an ice-bath until he didn't feel at the age of six. Laura shook the memory from her head. What?

Jullian had worn a green t-shirt and dark skinny jeans to the date with Laura. He had tossed a sports coat of matching color over his shirt to show he had gotten dressed, just not _too_ dressed. They had sat silently throughout the movie, Laura relishing in the new taste of popcorn. It was fattening and not good for her, she could tell just by the taste and the over-saturated buttery smell, but she had enjoyed the taste anyway.

Just as with the popcorn, the movie had made no sense to her. It had been an action-romance movie. The lead female detective had been resistant at first to the assistance of a handsome and charming lead male reporter, but they had eventually admitted their feelings, had sex, and solved the murder. Laura could tell the sex scene hadn't been what Jullian had had in mind, because his heart started racing. Laura had taken no purpose from the movie and hit had only been halfway entertaining, yet she had found herself laughing alongside Jullian for no apparent reason.

Laura brushed her brown hair behind her ear, some was blowing into her face, and she turned to Jullian with a smile. Both were speechless again. Jullian's dark hair moved in the wind and Laura had the overwhelming urge to grab it, twist it in her fingers. She resisted this urge as well. Jullian shoved his hands in his pocket.

"Thanks for coming." He said.

"Thank you for inviting me." Laura smiled. She wanted this boy to like her.

Jullian grinned. "Well, I just had to show you off."

Laura almost thought he was referring to her as property, much as her HYDRA leaders had (once again, what?), but then she realized he was complementing her and smiled even broader in response.

Speechlessness again. Laura held her wrist with her hand. Finally she broke the silence. "I had a good time, but I must be returning home." She said.

Jullian nodded. "Yeah, uh, see you Monday?"

Laura smiled and nodded. She turned to go when Jullian's hand grabbed her arm and spun her, jerking her back towards him. She felt him press his lips to hers, placing his hands on the lower part of her back. She was completely taken off-guard. She had never kissed anyone before. Jullian's kiss lasted only a moment, then he broke apart, studying her to see if he had stepped too far. Laura grabbed his face with both hands and pulled him in, kissing him. It was a little messy at first, but then she figured out how it went and kissed him hard, passionately. Jullian's hands found the bottom of her back again and arched her body into his. The two finally broke the kiss, staring at each other.

"Wow…" Jullian whispered, staring at Laura. She blushed sharply, realizing she had just had her first kiss and understood why it meant so much to people on television and to the girls at the Institute.

"Do you, um, want me to walk you home?" Jullian asked.

Laura almost said yes, but this would lead him to the Xavier Institute and reveal her status as a mutant, something she wasn't ready to reveal yet.

"Thank you, but I will be fine." Laura smiled.

"All right, text me tomorrow!" Jullian waved.

Laura waved back and headed towards the Xavier Institute, turning on her comm-device on her way. She had turned it off during the movie, not wanting anything to interrupt her date. She couldn't wait to tell Rogue about it for some reason. The second she flicked the device on, she was met with a sharp trill to the ear. She cringed and clutched her ear. She almost cursed, but didn't. She accepted the transmission.

"Wildecat." She reported.

"Laura!" Amara exclaimed. "Where the hell have you been? We've been calling you for two hours!"

"I was…preoccupied." Laura replied. "What is the situation?"

"What's the situation? What's the situation?" Amara exclaimed. "The traitor took out Ms. Marvel and half of the X-Men on the Golden Gate Bridge!"

"Is Rogue all right?" Laura asked, her thoughts immediately going to the Belle.

"That's the thing, Laura." Amara said. She stopped for a moment.

"What? Is she all right?" Laura demanded.

"Laura, Rogue was the traitor."


End file.
